Carolina Family Weekend FAQ’s

Carolina Family Weekend is full of traditions and excitement and is a wonderful time for Carolina family members to reconnect with their student, meet other Carolina families, and connect with faculty and staff. There are wonderful programs and events to explore while enjoying the vibrant Carolina community.

Carolina Family Weekend participants are responsible for their own lodging accommodations for the weekend. For a list of local hotels that we partner with, please visit our website: nsfpunc.wpengine.com/families/local_hotels. You may find hotel accommodations from other properties in nearby towns and cities, for example Durham, NC.

Carolina Family Weekend is for the entire family! Many families will bring siblings of all ages, aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins…everyone!

Online registration takes place via the UNC Family Experience Portal in early September.

There is a small registration per attendee (UNC students register for free!). All other ticketed events do require purchase for UNC students.

• Regular registration is $20
• On-site registration is $25
• Children 12 years & under $9

The 2026 Registration Access Pass includes: 

• A lanyard and namebadge that allows you to access “Free (F)” events (registration fees support these costs) 
• Access to Campus Recreation facilities and classes 
• The Saturday Morning Coffee Break (Continental Breakfast) 
• The Chat with the Chancellor event 
• Access to Carolina on my Mind Information Fair, including the Off-Campus Housing Fair
• Clear Stadium Bag Giveaway (while supplies last)
• *all events are subject to being at capacity/supply limitation 

The Carolina Family Weekend schedule has a variety of event offerings that take place starting Friday and concluding Sunday. You may pick and choose the events that you are able to attend at your leisure.

Participation in any of ticketed Carolina Family Weekend events requires registration and full payment of fees, regardless of your arrival time. Outside of ticketed events, we will be offering no-cost events.

Carolina Family Weekend event dates are set each year in late February/early March, after considering fall holidays and the fall athletic event calendar.

Students – Stay up-to-date on communications on this website & follow us on social media.

Families – Stay up-to-date by visiting this website and making sure you’re signed up for the UNC Family Experience portal at uncfamilies.campusesp.com.

Registered Student Organizations & University Offices – Each spring, we send a ‘Call for Programming’ & invite you to host a program or event during Carolina Family Weekend. We would love to include you!

Any family member who is a UNC Family Experience user, may complete a registration. Families are expected to communicate with one another about who is purchasing tickets for which family members and for which events. We will have a check-in packet for each registration that is created.

If you do not receive or if you have lost your confirmation email, send an email to families@unc.edu with the email address you used to register in the UNC Family Experience, your student’s name and PID number and one of our staff members will assist you.

All Carolina Family Weekend fees are NON-refundable. Please review your own calendar and reservation carefully before completing your payment – once you submit your reservation and payment, you acknowledge that you are responsible for the associated cost and are liable for fees even if you do not attend.

Have a family discussion about potential scheduling conflicts before making a registering and buying tickets. Conflicts may include evening classes, mid-term exams, and other events that may bring family to Chapel Hill on a different weekend. You are welcome to give your event tickets to another family.

Please list any special accommodations you may need in the Carolina Family Weekend registration form (for example, sign-language interpreters, wheelchair access, dietary needs, allergies etc.) you and/or your guests may require during Carolina Family Weekend. We will report these appropriately but may not be able to make all accommodations.  

If you need disability parking spaces, please see the map linked here: maps.unc.edu/parking/accessibility-parking (Select “Visitor Disability Parking” to see spaces).

We are unable to provide wheelchair rentals on request, and encourage families to plan ahead and seek out a local medical supply company.

Email us at families@unc.edu or call our office at (919) 962-8304 if you have any questions! 

When visiting campus, always review the Parking & Transportation policies and guidelines. Visit move.unc.edu to learn more.

For Carolina Family Weekend on Saturday’s gameday, we recommend the following:

• Visit the Transportation & Parking site and adhere to Game Day parking rules and regulations: move.unc.edu/events/athletics/

For Carolina Family Weekend on Friday and Sunday, we recommend the following:

Daytime Parking Before 5:00 PM ET Friday

• Use Visitor Parking – move.unc.edu/parking/visitor-parking/university-visitors
• To see an interactive map of Visitor Parking, visit maps.unc.edu/parking/visitor
• Family Weekend Check-in and some other events will occur before 5:00 PM ET on Friday

Weekend Parking After 5:00 PM ET Friday – Until 7:30 AM ET Monday

• Parking available, no permit required.
• You may park in most spaces, with the exception of:
  • Disability Parking
  • Service Vehicle Parking
  • Spaces reserved by name

Accessibility/Disability Parking 

If you need disability parking spaces, please see the map linked here: maps.unc.edu/parking/accessibility-parking

• De-select “Disability Permit Parking”. This is for faculty/staff/students that have a permit for those spaces.
• Select “Visitor Disability Parking” to see spaces you may use.

Thursday: Check-In will begin at 3:00pm and end at 6:00pm in the FPG Student Union

Friday: Check-In will begin at 10:00am and end at 6:00pm in the FPG Student Union

Saturday: Check-In will begin at 8:00am and end at 12:00pm in the FPG Student Union

All check-in materials will be available for pick-up under your student’s name.

Please note: If you have more than one student included on your reservation, materials will be listed under the name of the primary student – the first student you registered on your reservation.

Yes – if you are unable to attend Carolina Family Weekend Check-In, your student may pick up your materials. Please make sure your student brings their UNC One Card (student ID) and a copy of your confirmation email.

In recent years we have had Family Weekend on football away game weekends. With a higher number of family ticket blocks available compared to the recent past, and other variable with conflicting dates, we are able to once again combine Family Weekend with a home game experience.

Home game weekends and game days are full of excitement. We also recognize that not all families care for football. For this reason we have the ticket offer and Family Weekend registration process separate from each other. This allows greater flexibility of choice for families to choose how they enjoy this weekend in Chapel Hill.

Visit our Family Football Day webpage to learn more this ticket offer for Carolina families.