Family Weekend Schedule of Events

Do you still need to register? Click here to get registered today!

The official Family Weekend 2026 Schedule of Events will be emailed to all registered attendees in September 2026. The schedule will include event times, locations, check-in details, and other important information to help you plan your Family Weekend experience.

Friday, October 16, 2026

Let's get this weekend started!

Family Weekend Check-in and Family Headquarters
12:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Student Center South - UH Campus Store (Campus Bookstore, Room)
All registered participants should check in to pick up your packets, including wristbands, tickets, Family Weekend event guide, and other goodies! Stop by this location anytime you need assistance or just want to take a break. Sponsored by the Cougar Parent & Family Engagement Center.

Please note: Check-in must be completed by 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Your UH student may check in and pick up materials on behalf of your entire registered family.

Cougar Campus Experiences: Explore UH. Meet the Village.
12:30 pm - 4:00 pm | Various Campus Locations
Explore the University of Houston at your own pace during our Cougar Campus Experiences! Visit participating offices and departments, meet members of the UH community, discover campus spaces and resources, and collect stamps on your Cougar Campus Experience Stamp Card.

Explore more for more chances to win!

Visit at least 3 participating locations → Receive 1 entry into the Family Weekend Drawing
Visit 5 or more participating locations → Receive 2 entries into the Family Weekend Drawing

Once you've finished exploring, return your completed Stamp Card to the Family Weekend Check-In Station where you checked in to enter into the drawing. Participating locations and experiences will be shared with registered Family Weekend guests prior to the weekend. Grab your stamp card, explore campus, meet your Cougar's village, and you could walk away a Family Weekend winner!

UH Coog Moms Community Social
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Join fellow UH Coog Moms members for an afternoon of conversation, connection, and Cougar pride! Whether you're a longtime member or recently joined, this exclusive gathering is the perfect opportunity to meet other families and supporters, share experiences, build lasting friendships, and celebrate the community that continues to support UH students both on and off campus.

Not a member yet? There's still time! Join the UH Coog Moms community, where parents, grandparents, family members, chosen family, and supporters come together to build friendships, share experiences, and support one another throughout the Cougar journey. Click here today and be part of a network dedicated to supporting Cougar families and supporters throughout the student journey. This exclusive event is open to current UH Coog Moms members. Sponsored by UH Coog Moms.

An Evening Under the Stars: A Celebration of Family & Cougar Pride
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the families, supporters, and communities that help our Cougars thrive. Enjoy an elegant Italian-inspired dinner while taking in the sounds of live jazz, powerful spoken word performances, and inspiring moments that honor the impact families and supporters have on student success.

The evening will also feature the presentation of the Cougar Village Spotlight of The Year Award, recognizing a family whose encouragement, resilience, and unwavering support embody what it means to be part of the Cougar community. Come relax, connect with fellow families, celebrate Cougar traditions, and create lasting memories together.

Because every Cougar has a village.

Hosted by the Cougar Parent & Family Engagement Center.

Lights, Camera, Cougars w/ RHA!
8:30 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Grab your favorite movie snacks, strike a pose at our themed photo backdrop, get creative with fun family crafts, and settle in for a screening of Disney Pixar's Toy Story 5 with the Residence Housing Association (RHA).

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Saturday brings together meaningful conversations, family fun, and one of the biggest traditions at UH—Cougar Football!
A Note About Saturday's Schedule:
Because UH Football competes in the Big 12 Conference, the official kickoff time may not be announced until closer to Family Weekend. To help families plan, we have developed a couple of possible Saturday schedules based on an early or evening kickoff. Registered Family Weekend guests will be notified as soon as the official game time is announced, and the final Saturday schedule is confirmed. Keep in mind these are schedule ideas; the official schedule will be emailed to our registered attendees.

Schedule Option 1: 11:00 a.m. Kickoff

Family Weekend Football Tailgate Experience
9:00 am - 10:45 am | Location: To Be Announced Soon
It's game day! Join fellow Cougar families and supporters for food, music, activities, entertainment, and plenty of UH spirit before heading into the stadium

Houston Cougars vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
11:00 am | TDECU Stadium
It's time to cheer on the Coogs! Football tickets are not included with Family Weekend registration and must be purchased separately. The link to purchase special pricing football tickets is included in the registration link. If you have any questions, feel free to email parents@uh.edu.

Keeping Our Cougars Safe
3:15 pm - 4:45 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
How does UH help keep your Cougar safe? Join representatives from the University of Houston Police Department, Emergency Management, and campus safety partners for an engaging family conversation about the people, systems, and resources dedicated to campus safety.

Families will learn more about topics such as after-hours safety assistance, emergency notifications and preparedness, campus security resources, personal safety, and what happens when a student needs help.

Our goal is simple: for families to leave feeling even more informed and confident about the network of professionals working together to support their Cougar.

What Families Need to Know Now: Supporting Your Cougar Through the Semester
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
The questions families have in October can look very different from the questions they had during Orientation!

Join a panel of UH campus partners for an honest and practical conversation about what students may be experiencing at this point in the semester—from midterms and academic stress to involvement, well-being, spring registration, finances, career preparation, and finding their place at UH.

We'll explore one important question together: "What does my student need from me right now?"

Families will leave with practical ways to support their Cougar through the remainder of the fall semester and prepare for what's ahead.

Coogs Know Best: UH Family Trivia Game Show
6:45 pm - 8:45 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Think your family knows UH? It's time to prove it! Gather your Cougar crew for an interactive game-show-style competition filled with UH trivia, Cougar traditions, campus knowledge, friendly competition, laughs, and prizes. Students and families can work together to see who truly knows the most about Cougar life. Bring your competitive spirit—we'll bring the questions!

Schedule Option 2: 6:00 p.m. Kickoff

What Families Need to Know Now: Supporting Your Cougar Through the Semester
9:00 am - 10:30 am | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Start your Saturday with an engaging conversation featuring UH campus partners who will help families understand what students may be experiencing midway through the semester and how supporters can help them finish fall strong and prepare for spring.

From academics and well-being to involvement, finances, career preparation, and navigating independence, we'll explore: "What does my student need from me right now?"

Keeping Our Cougars Safe
10:45 am - 12:15 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Join representatives from the University of Houston Police Department, Emergency Management, and campus safety partners for an informative and reassuring conversation about how UH works together to keep our Cougar community safe.

Learn about safety resources, after-hours assistance, emergency preparedness and notifications, campus security initiatives, and what students should do when they need help.

Coogs Know Best: UH Family Trivia Game Show
12:30 pm - 2:30 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Students versus supporters? Family versus family? Put your Cougar knowledge to the test during an interactive game-show experience featuring UH trivia, traditions, campus knowledge, friendly competition, and prizes. Come ready to laugh, compete, and find out who really knows UH best!

Family Weekend Football Tailgate Experience
3:00 pm - 5:45 pm | Location: To Be Announced Soon
Before kickoff, join the Family Weekend community for the ultimate Cougar game-day experience featuring food, music, entertainment, activities, and plenty of UH spirit. Then, it's time to head to TDECU Stadium!

Houston Cougars vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
6:00 pm | TDECU Stadium
Finish the day cheering on the Houston Cougars alongside your family and the Cougar community! Football tickets are not included with Family Weekend registration and must be purchased separately.

Sunday, October 18, 2026

One More Memory Before We Say Goodbye

Shasta's Family Fun Run & Shasta Cubs Dash
8:30 am | University of Houston Campus
Run it. Walk it. Cheer it. Just don't miss it!

Help us close out Family Weekend with the First Annual Shasta's Family Fun Run & Shasta Cubs Dash! Runners and walkers of all experience levels are invited to hit the course alongside family, friends, and members of the Cougar community. Our youngest participants, ages 6–12, can join the Shasta Cubs Dash, a special one-mile race designed just for them.

Every registered participant will receive:

Exclusive inaugural race T-shirt
Commemorative finisher medal
Custom inaugural race bib

Race registration requires a separate fee and is not included with Family Weekend registration.

Space is limited, and once participant capacity is reached, registration will close.

Not Running? You're Still Part of the Village! You don't have to register for the race to join the celebration! Family Weekend guests and members of the UH community are encouraged to come out, line the sidelines, make some noise, and cheer our runners and walkers all the way to the finish line.

Bring your signs, your Cougar spirit, and your loudest GO COOGS! as we celebrate every participant who crosses the finish line. Whether you're running, walking, or cheering, there's a place for you as we close Family Weekend together.

One campus. One community. One village. One finish line.

Bring your Cougar student and create one more Family Weekend memory before the credits roll! Sponsored by the Cougar Parent & Family Engagement Center.

Have Questions?

Email our office at parents@uh.edu or give us a call at (713)-743-4420. We look forward to seeing you all! GO COOGS!