Southern Arkansas University’s Family Day on October 6 will begin at 9 a.m. and run throughout the day with events and activities for everyone to enjoy.
Family Day was postponed from its original September 22 date due to rain. Since the October 6 football game at SAU is a 2 p.m. kickoff, the schedule of events is being adapted as follows:
- 9 a.m. – noon Organization Fair Tables & Family-friendly Events (lawn of Blanchard Hall)
- 9:30 p.m. Beds Arrive for Best-Decorated Judging (Science Center)
- 10 a.m. 38th Annual Residence Hall Association Bed Race (Science Center)
- 11 a.m. Family Reception (Engineering Building)
- 11 a.m. Mulegating Begins (Alumni Center lawn)
- 11:30 a.m. Great Greek Canoe Race (Engineering pond)
- 1 p.m. Pep-rally (Alumni Center lawn)
- 2 p.m. Mulerider Football (Wilkins Stadium)
The Organization Fair is hosted by SAU’s more than 100 student organizations from 9 a.m. till noon and will provide activities for everyone including Bingo and carnival games.
The 38th Annual Residence Hall Association Bed Race, one of SAU’s most unique and treasured traditions, begins at 10 a.m. Each heat of the race pits two teams of five students against each other beginning on the street in front of the Science Center and continuing to the Engineering Building. Four members of each team push the decorated, adapted beds (with bicycle tires added) as the brave and helmeted, and usually petite, rider holds on.
At 11 a.m., families are invited inside the Engineering Building for the Family Reception with free food and refreshments. At 11:30 a.m., another wave of excitement rolls in as the Great Greek Canoe Race take place at the Engineering pond.
Also starting at 11 a.m. are the official Mulegating festivities at the Alumni Center. Mulegating is SAU’s adaptation of tailgating before each Mulerider home football game. It has become increasingly popular over recent years and even more so since last year’s opening of the new Alumni Center. This Family Day’s Mulegating is sponsored by Bodcaw Bank, who will be serving hamburgers to SAU alumni. In addition, the University Housing staff will be serving hamburgers. Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy the delicious food.
The Mulegating pep rally featuring the more than 140-member Mulerider Marching Band and the nationally-competitive SAU Cheerleading squad begins at 1 p.m. in front of the Alumni Pavilion.
Fans can walk across the Alumni Bridge from Mulegating to get a good seat at Wilkins Stadium for the Mulerider football game, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Rip Powell Field against Southern Nazarene University. The Muleriders are undefeated this season and have earned their highest national NCAA Division II ranking since joining the GAC nine years ago.
Several other events will also be taking place on campus October 6. The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams will be hosting the second day of the Eighth Annual Louis Davis Invitational. A Track and Field Ring Ceremony honoring the SAU 2018 Men’s Track and Field team their Great American Conference Championship rings will be at noon at the Mulerider Track Complex. At approximately 5:30 p.m. following the football game, the Baseball Championship Ring Ceremony to honor their 2018 Great American Conference Championship title will take place at Walker Stadium’s Goodheart Field.
At 7:30 p.m., SAU’s season debut production of “Next to Normal” will begin and a $10 ticket special is being offered for parents and family members of SAU students in honor of Family Day. Tickets can be purchased at the door, online at www.showtix4u.com, or by calling (870) 235-4255. The show is recommended for audiences over the age of 13 as it contains adult themes, language, and content. “Next to Normal” is a rock musical that earned a Pulitzer Prize in 2010. It is scheduled to run from September 27 – October 7 at Harton Theatre. The nightly shows, Thursday-Saturday, begin at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. There will be an actor talk-back following both Saturday night shows.
