Fall Family Weekend

Fall family weekend logo with pixelated fall maple leaf
A row of jack-o-lanterns with carvings of various Western symbols: a viking hat, I heart WWU, Make Waves, WWU, and Old Main

Save the Date for Fall Family Weekend: October 20-22, 2023!

We hope you will be able to join us as we celebrate the season with fun and interesting ways for students and their families to explore our Western and Bellingham communities during our annual weekend of events and activities.

About Fall Family Weekend: Each year, Western welcomes parents and family members back to campus to re-connect with their student during our annual weekend of fun, family-friendly events and activities. Plan each day using our flexible schedule that provides the space you need to determine how and when you want to spend your time together. You are welcome to attend as many organized activities or ticketed events as you’d like throughout the weekend with other Western students and families, or explore on your own!

Activities kick off mid-day Friday and end by Sunday afternoon. While most events are free or low cost, those requiring tickets will be available for purchase by late September. Please be advised that ticketed events sell out fast. Past events have featured live comedy improv shows, a Halloween classic movie, planetarium shows, WWU athletics, campus and community tours, student performances, faculty speakers, pumpkin carving in the res halls, Western Gallery exhibits and demonstrations, tours of Western’s outdoor sculpture collection, bike tours, Bellingham haunted walking tours, department open houses, and more!

Stay tuned to this site for more details as schedules and tickets become available for Fall Family Weekend 2023.

 

EXPLORE

Red Square on a sunny day with students sitting at outdoor tables

Western, Bellingham, the Pacific Northwest, and the Salish Sea

Accommodations and transportation options for visiting Bellingham

Keep exploring the community 

  • Community Events - Fun, local activities to enjoy during your visit.
  • WWU Students’ Guide to Bellingham: Fall quarter is here and it’s a great time to explore some of these favorite finds in Bellingham! 
  • Visiting Bellingham and the surrounding Whatcom County for abundant nature, outdoor adventure and sweeping scenery from the Salish Sea to Mt. Baker and North Cascades National Park! 
  • Savor the Bounty of Bellingham! From award–winning restaurants to fresh, budget-friendly food, Bellingham and Whatcom County is a foodie's paradise. Check out Washington State’s most famous European traveler, Rick Steves, through a series of videos. 
  • Whatcom Museum - The Whatcom Museum serves as both a community magnet and a regional destination for cultural experiences rooted in art, nature, and Northwest history. 
  • Whatcom County Parks - Our 16,000 acres of natural lands encompasses ocean beaches to mountain peaks. You’ll find challenging mountain bike and hiking trails as well as playgrounds and historic sites. 

Western maps & tours 

Connecting with the broader Salish Sea Region

  • Viqueen Lodge - The Viqueen Lodge is provided by the Associated Students as a leisure activity facility on Sinclair Island, south of Bellingham. Cabin and grounds maintenance are provided by volunteers of the Western Washington University community and the staff of WWU's Viking Outdoor Recreation programs and Viking Union facilities.
  • Shannon Point Marine Center - Western Washington University's Shannon Point Marine Center is located within a 78 acre wooded campus in Anacortes that is covered in a mature Pacific lowland forest that is dominated by Douglas fir and Cedar trees. 
  • Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin map Created by Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009. Explore in and around the bioregion through this map created by Stefan Freelan, Western's GIS Specialist and College of the Environment instructor. 
  • Car Free Salish Sea Journeys No car? No problem! Created by student, Daniel Heppner, 2020
  • Salish Sea Alpine Resorts Created by student, Alexander West, 2020
  • Redfish School of Change
  • Native Land Acknowledgement Native Land is a tool that maps out Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages. Native Land brings about discussions of colonization, land rights, language, and Indigenous history tied to our personal histories. Created by Native Land Digital.
  • Interactive Washington State park map - Find Washington State Parks near Western.
  • Washington State Parks virtual Tours - Explore Washington State Parks from anywhere in the world.