Fall Family Weekend 2026
October 9th through the 11th
Statesboro, GA
Friday, October 9th
- 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Fall Family Weekend Check-In
- Pick up your wristbands, t-shirts, and other materials.
- Guests may check-in at one of two locations listed below. Guests must present check-in QR code upon arrival to receive materials. This QR code is emailed to registered attendees the day prior to the event.
- Russell Student Union Ballroom (On Campus)
- Statesboro Visitor’s Center “Market” (Off Campus)
- 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Silent Auction
View items in the Silent Auction and place your bid! Viewing will also be available via an electronic app called “Handbid”. Directions on how to download and operate the app are below. Viewing will also be available on Saturday from 9 a.m. – Noon. Winners announced Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in the Russell Student Union Ballroom. Money raised from the auction will go towards our Parent and Family Association’s Student Scholarships.
- Download the Handbid App
Download on the App store or Google Play. We strongly recommend you “accept notifications from this app” when you open it and join our auction. This will allow you to get a push notifications during the auction. - Tap Get Started & Create Acct
Next you can create an account! From the App home screen, tap on “Get Started” and complete the information, then tap “Next”. Handbid will send you a text with a 5 digit code, enter this code to login. - Select Fall Family Weekend 2026 from the list and start bidding!!
Select Fall Family Weekend 2026 from the list of auctions and swipe left to enter the auction. Once in the auction, swipe left/right to access categories and up/down to access items.
- 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Taste of Downtown
Join us at the Statesboro Visitor Center Market for a special Family Weekend edition of the Taste of Downtown! Restaurants and food vendors from across Statesboro will be serving samples for you to enjoy throughout the evening.
This event is open only to registered Fall Family Weekend guests and is not open to the public.
While you’re enjoying all the delicious food Statesboro has to offer, you can also enjoy axe throwing, a mechanical bull, and music.
Tickets for this event are included with your general admission Fall Family Weekend registration.
Additional Community Events (Events will be added as they become available)
Saturday, October 10th
****All event times for Saturday are tentative until the football kickoff time is announced. Due to TV contracts, this may not be announced until 12 days prior to the game. This is beyond the control of New Student & Family Programs, University Athletics, or Georgia Southern University****
- 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Silent Auction and Fall Family Weekend Check-In
- Pick up your wristbands, t-shirts, and other materials.
- Russell Student Union Ballroom
- Time TBD: PFA Scholarship Breakfast
- All members of our Parent & Family Association and PFA Scholarship recipients as well as their guests are invited to join us for breakfast prior to the PFA Bi-Annual Meeting and Scholarship Ceremony. Gold wristband required for entry.
- Williams Center
- Time TBD: Parent and Family Association Bi-Annual Meeting and Scholarship Ceremony
- Join us to recognize the 2026-2027 Parent & Family Association scholarship awardees. Also, hear from our Family Council and learn about what is going on in the Association. Gold Family Weekend wristband or active PFA membership card is required for entry.
- Williams Center
- 12:00 p.m.: Silent Auction Bidding Ends
- Time TBD: Silent Auction Pick-Up
- All items must be picked up at this time. Any items that are not picked up on site can be picked up by your student beginning on Monday, October 12th at Lewis Hall.
- Russell Student Union Ballroom
- 3 hours prior to kickoff – 1 hour prior to kickoff: Fall Family Weekend Tailgate
- Food will be served at the Williams Center on campus. Free parking is available at the Russell Union. Complimentary shuttles to the stadium will begin 2.5 hours prior to kickoff and will depart from the Russell Union, which is adjacent to the tailgate location.
- Catering will be provided by Dolan’s BBQ. The full menu will be released closer to the event. If the tailgate begins early in the morning, a brunch menu will be served; otherwise, a lunch menu will be available.
- The event will be held rain or shine but cannot take place during severe weather. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with both indoor and outdoor options.
- A Fall Family Weekend Tailgate ticket is required for entry. Guests with a General Admission ticket must purchase a Tailgate add-on to receive a meal. Students are not eligible to eat free at the tailgate and must purchase a Student Tailgate ticket.
- For those who wish to park and tailgate closer to the stadium, we recommend purchasing a parking pass at the Recreation Activity Center through University Athletics. To-go meal options will be available at the Williams Center for guests who prefer to tailgate on their own. Alcohol is not permitted within the official Family Weekend Tailgate area at the Williams Center.
- Williams Center
- Time TBD: GS Football vs. James Madison
- Parking is only available at Paulson Stadium if you have an already purchased parking pass from the Athletic Foundation/Eagle Fund. Parking passes are also available for purchase at the Recreation Activity Center. Those looking for free parking, will need to park at the Russell Union and ride the Family Weekend Shuttle to Paulson Stadium. Football Ticket Required (Not included in the Family Weekend Packages, but registered attendees will receive an email link with discounted ticket options)
- Paulson Stadium
Additional Community Events (Events will be added as they become available)
- 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Statesboro Farmer’s Market
- 228 S Main Street
Sunday, October 11th
- 10:00 a.m.: Family Weekend Brunch
- Join us for Brunch in the Dining Commons along with music and activities for the entire family such as canvas painting, friendship bracelets, family photos, and more! Brunch in the Dining Commons is provided as part of your Family Weekend General Admission ticket. Students with a meal plan can eat using their meal plan, those without a meal plan will need to purchase a meal onsite at the Dining Commons.
- Dining Commons
Campus Attractions Open All Weekend
Campus Dining
If your student has a meal plan, utilize the guest passes included with the plan to dine at the Dining Commons or Lakeside.
Golf Course
The Georgia Southern Golf Course is a full functioning 18-hole course located a few miles from the main campus. Book your tee time online at Georgia Southern’s Golf Course page or call 912-GSU-GOLF for more details.
Recreation Activity Center (RAC)
Fall Family Weekend participants will be allowed free admission to the RAC! This 215,000 square foot facility has a lot to offer! Check it out! Workout, take a tour, or attend a group fitness class with your student.
Barnes & Noble @ Georgia Southern
The University Store will also be open to allow parents and family members to purchase all the necessary game and spirit gear! If you are part of the Parent & Family Association, don’t forget to bring your membership card for your discount!
Center for Wildlife Education
Family Weekend Hours are Friday Oct. 9th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 10th from 1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Admission is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children ages 3-11.
Parent & Family Association
Join the Parent & Family Association and become more connected to the University and your student.
Benefits Include:
- Qualification for the Association Scholarship available only to students of current Association members.
- Membership packet including a wall calendar with important Georgia Southern dates.
- Special events hosted for association members
- Monthly bulletins with updates and ways to be involved with Georgia Southern and the Association
- Local and national discounts to restaurants, hotels, and car rental companies.