We look forward to welcoming you to campus next weekend, Sept. 24-25! Be sure to read the entire email below as it includes important details to know before arriving on campus. We recommend you save or print this email for our reference.
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your #UofSCFW21!
- Our goal is to keep check-in as simple as possible! You'll receive your registration packet that will include your wristbands, parking pass, drink tickets (for family members age 21 and older), etc.
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Family Weekend wristbands are required for entry into all Family Weekend events. There are no replacement wristbands available, so be sure to hold onto these all weekend!
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Our schedule of events has so much to offer! This is a great opportunity for families to pick and choose what makes sense for your family and let your student showcase their home at Carolina.
As we navigate our first Family Weekend in a pandemic, please know that some things will take a little longer as we prioritize health and safety by following our COVID-19 guidelines. We ask that you bring patience, excitement, and the spirit of the Carolina community with you!
Please be sure to bring your face coverings as university policy and the city of Columbia ordinance require they be worn indoors, on shuttles and buses, and outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.
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COVID-19 Guidelines for Family Weekend |
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To ensure the safety of all of our visiting families we ask that you review the UofSC COVID-19 safety guidelines below:
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Face coverings are required indoors, on shuttles and buses, and outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.
- We encourage physical distancing when you are able.
- Please consider wearing face coverings at outdoor events with dense crowds.
- Please monitor your own health prior to attending.
If you have COVID-19, have COVID-19 symptoms, or know you have been exposed to COVID-19 in the past two weeks, please do not attend Family Weekend 2021 events.
We hope you’ll enjoy your time in Columbia and will take the opportunity to visit some of the sites that make us proud to call the capital city our home. Please keep in mind:
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Families are required to pick up their Family Weekend packets during specific check-in times.
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Thursday, Sept. 23 from 2 to 6 p.m. in the Russell House Ballroom.
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Friday, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Russell House Ballroom.
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Friday, Sept. 24 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Rock the Roost at the Wellness and Fitness Center.
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Saturday, Sept. 25 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm –before and during the Tailgate Party located on the corner of National Guard and Bluff Roads by Williams Brice Stadium.
Remember: If you are unable to come Thursday or Friday for check-in at the Russell House Ballroom, we encourage you to send your UofSC student to pick up your packet. Simply tell your student to bring their Carolina Card with them to check-in. This will save you time once you arrive on campus, and you can jump into the fun!
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Enter at gate three and take a ticket.
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When you leave, show your Family Weekend wristband and parking pass to exit for free.
- When you walk out of the Bull Street Parking Garage, follow the signs toward the Russell House University Union.
*Parking meters are also available around campus and in the Pendleton Street Parking Garage. Additional information about parking options for the weekend will be provided in the packet you receive at check-in.
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Family Weekend Wristbands |
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Family Weekend wristbands are required for entry into the Family Weekend signature events (President Meet and Greet, Rock the Roost, and Tailgate Party), and Gameday shuttles.
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Family member wristbands are garnet, and UofSC student wristbands are black.
- Family members 18 and over are able to access the Wellness and Fitness Center by showing their garnet wristbands.
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The garnet wristband, drink tickets (provided at Check-In), and photo ID are required to be served alcohol during Rock the Roost and the Tailgate Party. As a reminder, UofSC students, regardless of age, will not be served alcohol during Family Weekend.
We strongly suggest that once you receive your wristbands, you put them on, so none are lost or forgotten. Replacement wristbands and drink tickets will not be provided.
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Our App is the one-stop-shop for everything Family Weekend and Carolina-related. Download our app in the app store by searching "UofSC Parents Programs" or by visiting: guidebook.com/app/uofscparents.
Our App contains:
- Schedule of Events
- Reminders/Tips
- Game Day Information and Walking Direction
- And so much more regarding Family Weekend!
Be sure to turn on your phone's notifications for the app so you are alerted of these reminders.
Our Facebook will also help keep you updated and informed year-round. We will use push notifications through the Facebook mobile app to update participants if logistical changes are made.
Use our official hashtag #UofSCFW21 to share Family Weekend photos and experiences on social media when you're on campus!
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Tailgate Party and Shuttles |
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We encourage you to leave EARLY for the game and have a plan for parking (options include private parking lots located around the stadium) in advance or ride the shuttle to ensure that you arrive with plenty of time to enjoy our Tailgate Party and football game.
Tips for riding the shuttle:
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Have patience! Our transportation staff will be working hard to get families to our Tailgate Party, however, it will take time. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the shuttles have a capacity. No standing is allowed on shuttles.
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You must wear your family weekend wristband to ride the shuttle.
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Face coverings are required in all UofSC transportation. If you do not wear a face covering, you will not be able to utilize our shuttle services.
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No coolers, food, or drinks are allowed on shuttles (with the exception of sealed water bottles).
Please note there is no waiting space available at the entrance to the Tailgate Party, so we encourage you to explore the stadium area and enjoy the tailgate festivities of Gamecock Village if you get to the stadium early for the Tailgate Party.
Walking directions. After exiting the shuttle (Rosewood/Assembly St), follow the sidewalk on Rosewood east toward Bluff Rd. (the stadium will be on your left).
- Turn south (left) on Bluff Rd. Follow the sidewalk, passing the State Fairgrounds on your left.
- Keep walking straight ahead and cross over George Rogers Blvd. at the light onto the stadium grounds.
- Continue to walk straight ahead (the stadium will be on your left) until you reach the garnet pavers on the SW corner of the stadium. Cross the street here but continue along the sidewalk towards National Guard Rd.
- Continue straight until you reach National Guard Rd., then turn right. Stay inside the cones and chain until you reach the officer who will assist you in crossing National Guard Rd. The line to enter the Tailgate Party will start along the fence line.
- Look for the big white tents and banner at the entrance of the Family Weekend Tailgate Party.
Please follow the instructions of the law enforcement officers, stationed at each crossing location.
Please note that individual tickets to the Tailgate Party are not available for purchase as this event is exclusive to the Family Weekend package.
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The kickoff time for the football game Saturday, Sept. 25 against Kentucky is set for 7:00 p.m. The Tailgate Party will be 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Wondering how to spend your Saturday prior to the Tailgate Party? Be sure to check out all the resources in the Parent and Family mobile app which includes the 2021 Insider Guide to Columbia, SC as well as other information. Make your weekend even more memorable by taking time to explore your student's South Carolina home.
If you purchased football tickets with your Family Weekend package, instructions on how to access those electronically will be emailed to you in the coming days. The email will be sent from South Carolina Athletics, so be on the watch!
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Additional instructions for how to access your tickets can be found at gamecocksonline.com.
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Remember to access your football tickets and bring your Family Weekend wristbands (these are required to enter the Tailgate Party), and drink tickets, for family members over 21, to the Tailgate Party. The Football Fan Guide is a digital resource for navigating and enjoying the Gamecock football experience.
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As you head to the game, know that you can enter the stadium from any gate (with the exception of student gates). Should your gate be crowded, just head to another.
To provide a safer environment and more expedited entry for fans, South Carolina Athletics has implemented a clear bag policy for all ticketed athletic events that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the venues. More information on approved and prohibited bags can be found on the South Carolina Athletics website.
Student Ticketing Information
- Request tickets Sept. 17-21
- Claim tickets Sept. 22-23.
- On-demand tickets are available on Sept. 23 at 4:30 p.m. Any tickets not claimed by students will be offered to students during the on-demand phase on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Please continue to visit the Parents & Families Gateway for information and resources at sc.edu/parents.
Office of Parent & Family Programs
University of South Carolina
Parents Assistance Line: 1-800-868-6752
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