Following suit of many events hosted on campus this spring, Texas A&M is hosting a hybrid option for Family Weekend on April 9-11.
Family Weekend will kick off with 6,400 Aggies receiving their Aggie Rings from the Association of Former Students beginning Wednesday. Other events include several home sporting events, a Yell Practice and a drive-in movie hosted by New Student & Family Programs and MSC Aggie Cinema.
Assistant Coordinator of Family Programs Alex Jantz said the organization is excited to provide both in-person and online events to promote safety and community.
“We are excited to provide a hybrid Family Weekend this year as it makes the event more accessible to our families,” Jantz said. “By providing both in-person and virtual events, we are able to curate an experience that celebrates the Spirit of Aggieland while also connecting with more members of the Aggie families.”
Coordinator of Family Programs Libby Daggers said one of their main focuses is to safely put on events with precautions including face coverings and physical distancing.
“We are following all local and university COVID-19 protocols for our in-person events. We have tried to maximize using outdoor spaces as much as possible,” Daggers said. “Most events require registration this year so that we made sure we were prepared to accommodate families within the spaces we have.”
With many activities canceled due to COVID-19 this past year, political science senior and Corps of Cadets Commander Tanner Cedrone said the Corps is excited to have an audience for the Corp of Cadets Review and a Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band drill. 
“As much as the Corps Review on Kyle Field is about us, it is even more so about the folks who got us through this year, our parents and families,” Cedrone said. “We are unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to get them into Kyle Field where they can safely watch their cadets march, some even for the first time.”   
In addition, the Fish Drill Team, Ross Volunteers and Parsons Mounted Cavalry will perform this weekend. 
“While this year was a sizable challenge for us, the Corps has proven time and time again, whether it’s world wars or a global pandemic, that we aren’t going anywhere,” Cedrone said. “We will continue to be the Keepers of the Spirit, the Guardians of Tradition and to produce leaders of character prepared to lead wherever they go with whatever it takes.” 
Off campus, many community businesses are also offering deals and events for students and their families to enjoy. C.C. Creations is hosting “Hullabaloo at Holleman” where both The Warehouse and Maroon U will have activities and special discounts. Vice President of Marketing for C.C. Creations Ashleigh Krause said they will have free food as well as picture opportunities with the big maroon chair and Reveille IX.
“What we really love about those weekends is it’s drawing people into College Station who may not be familiar with [the area] or they may not get to come except for those specific weekends,” Krause said. “We have a big family line, so this is a great time for us to promote that line but also promote our store as more than just random stuff but that one-stop-shop for any and all Aggies.”
The Warehouse will host its Guinness World Record Ceremony as it is honored for having the largest collegiate merchandise store on Friday, April 9, at 11 a.m. after the event was delayed last year due to the restrictions on gatherings. 
“We wanted to attempt this record because we really use in our tagline that we are the largest selection of Aggie merchandise with over 20,000 square feet of retail space,” Krause said. “It is a great thing to add to our reputation, and we do pride ourselves on that because it is really big and a lot of hard work that we put into it.”
With a full schedule of events, Daggers said there is something for everyone to enjoy, whether in person or virtually.
“The purpose of Family Weekend is to celebrate the Aggie Family and allow students to show gratitude to those who support them in their journey at Texas A&M,” Daggers said. “Family Weekend started in 1919 and is a long-standing tradition. It’s unique in the fact that the focus is celebrating families. We love that we get to share this weekend with families.” 
For a full schedule of events, please visit familyweekend.tamu.edu/events.