Parents, Families To Travel To 'County Fair'

Students and their families will have an opportunity to take a trip to the Bearkat County Fair during this year’s Parent/Family Weekend, Oct. 27-29.

The variety of activities planned for the weekend will kick off on Friday (Oct. 27), when parents can play golf at SHSU’s Raven Nest Golf Course at the students’ rate of $19, plus tax.

Also on Friday, families can cheer on the soccer team as they take on the University of Texas at San Antonio at 4:30 p.m. at Intramural Field No. 3 and then head to the Lowman Student Center Theater for the Program Council’s movie night showing of “Talladega Nights,” starring Will Ferrell, at 7 p.m.

Saturday’s activities begin with check in, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the LSC Ballroom entrance; Coffee with the Administrators, from 9-10 a.m. in the LSC Ballroom; and the Parents' Association Annual Meeting, from 10-11 a.m. in LSC Room 320.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., SHSU will showcase its departments, while the students showcase their talents through demonstrations and performances, during the “county fair’s” Exhibit Hall in the LSC Ballroom.

“It’s just like your county fair at home,” said Sue Knight, Dean of Students Office support staff member. “That’s part of the atmosphere that we want to create here for parents, and with the exhibit hall, we have some really innovative exhibits that they are going to put out.”

Exhibits will be judged and will receive ribbons just as they would at a county fair, Knight said.

Among the departments expected to exhibit are the geology program, displaying samples of their equipment and rock cutting; geography, demonstrating its GIS capabilities and information on how geography comes into play in real life; the interior design program, displaying models, concept boards and presentation boards; the department of family and consumer sciences, which will display student trends designed by and voted on by students in the FCS 342 class; and the forensics society in the College of Criminal Justice, which will demonstrate its fingerprinting technology.

“We really want to showcase things that are going on in the classroom,” Knight said.

In addition, SHSU student Willie Dean will have a fashion show on the LSC Ballroom stage featuring his clothing line Noir, and there will be a step show performance.

Saturday afternoon activities will include a classic car cruise-in, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the Bowers Stadium north parking lot; the pre-game party, from 4-6 p.m. in Bearkat Alley, where fair-related foods will be offered; and the football game versus McNeese State, at 6 p.m. at Bowers Stadium.

“When you think of the county fair atmosphere, you think of funnel cakes and roasted corn and fajitas. We’re going to have all those this year at the tailgate party,” Knight said, adding that turkey legs and sausages traditionally offered by the Office Student Activities will still be prepared.

Sunday (Oct. 29) morning will round out the weekend with an interdenominational Christian worship service, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Farrington Pit, or at the Wesley Foundation Chapel in the event of rain.

The Raven Nest Golf Course will also allow parents to play for the students’ weekend rate of $22 plus tax all day on Saturday and Sunday as well. Raven Nest is located at 457 Interstate-45 South.

Knight said the Dean of Students Office will make the county fair theme a recurring one, and Parents/Family Weekend will build upon the theme every year.

The cost to register for the weekend is $10 per family, which includes a welcome gift at check-in, the pre-game party and registration for door prize drawings that will be given away at the pre-game party.

Tickets for the football game will be sold separately for $18 for seats with a chair back, $10 for home side seating, $5 for visitor’s side seating, and children under the age of six are admitted to the game for free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate on game day or at the field house until 4 p.m. on Friday.

In addition, slots are still open for exhibit hall booths, and departments or student groups who would like to participate in the event should contact Kim Spradlin at 936.294.4155.

For more information, a complete schedule of events, or to register, visit http://www.shsu.edu/~slo_www/weekend/.

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
Oct. 17, 2006
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