Auburn Parents Weekend: Fall Family Weekend Guide

Auburn's parents weekend is Fall Family Weekend, which Parent & Family Programs holds each year with the Homecoming football game. In 2026 it ran September 25 to 27, and the 2027 date is not posted yet. For more on visiting the town, see our Auburn page.

When is Auburn parents weekend?

Auburn parents weekend is Fall Family Weekend, held on Homecoming weekend each fall, and it fell in September in each of the last three years. Parent & Family Programs says the weekend "is aligned with the Homecoming football game" every year, per the Auburn Family Portal.

The last three dates, from the university's own pages:

2024: tailgate Saturday, September 14.
2025: tailgate Saturday, September 13, with the South Alabama game.
2026: September 25 to 27, with Vanderbilt on Saturday, September 26, per the athletics schedule.

The exact date depends on which home game becomes Homecoming, and Auburn had not posted a 2027 football schedule or a 2027 Family Weekend date as of November 2026.

Watch two places for the announcement. Parent & Family Programs posts dates on the Auburn Family Portal and in the Parents and Families section of the Auburn University app, which also carries the schedule, maps and ticket sales. Hold a hotel room as soon as the date is out.

What happens during Auburn Fall Family Weekend?

Auburn Fall Family Weekend brings a Friday evening Homecoming parade and pep rally, a Saturday family tailgate and the Homecoming football game, and many of its events are open to everyone. The 2026 weekend, per the university's Homecoming page and the tailgate's ticket page, looked like this:

Friday afternoon: tailgate check-in, 2 to 4 p.m. at the Campus Recreation Sportsplex, 811 Lem Morrison Drive, or 2 to 5 p.m. on Cater Lawn.
Friday evening: the Homecoming parade through downtown Auburn, then a pep rally on Samford Lawn right after it.
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: the Fall Family Weekend Tailgate on Cater Lawn, 277 W. Thach Avenue, with a southern BBQ, DJ Ozz and a photo with Aubie.
Saturday, 3:15 p.m.: Auburn against Vanderbilt in Jordan-Hare Stadium, with Miss Homecoming named at halftime.

The tailgate is ticketed. More than 3,500 family members attended in 2026, and Parent & Family Programs calls it "the largest tailgate on the Plains."

Your student's fraternity or sorority may hold its own family weekend. The university's FAQ says you can attend both and suggests comparing the two schedules first.

How much do Auburn Family Weekend tailgate tickets cost?

Auburn Family Weekend tailgate tickets cost $40 for adults and $25 for students in 2025, the most recent posted price we found. In 2024 they were $30 and $15. Game tickets are separate: the university points families to SeatGeek for the Homecoming game.

Three rules, from Parent & Family Programs' 2025 Fall Family Weekend post and the 2026 tailgate ticket page:

Every child needs a ticket. Student tickets cover "kids of all ages through college," so a younger sibling or a student from another school buys one.
It sells out. "We typically sell out 2 weeks prior to the event, so book yours by September 1 to guarantee your spot!" The 2026 tailgate was listed as sold out.
Sales are final. The 2026 ticket page says the tailgate runs rain or shine and "All sales are final."

T-shirts and tumblers were $30 each in 2025 and sold only until August 19. Pick them up at check-in on Friday or Saturday. Your student can collect them with your name and the email used to buy them.

At 2025 prices, two parents, your Auburn student and one sibling came to $130 for the tailgate, before game tickets.

Where should parents stay and park for Auburn Family Weekend?

Parents should book a room in Auburn for Family Weekend early, because Parent & Family Programs warns "it can be hard to find a hotel room in Auburn on Gameday weekends." Four hotels on Auburn-Opelika Tourism's list sit within about 8 minutes on foot of Toomer's Drugs, by our map measurement in October 2026:

Graduate by Hilton Auburn, 202 W Magnolia Ave, about 2 minutes.
AC Hotel Auburn, 146 N Gay St, about 4 minutes.
The Collegiate Hotel at Auburn, 205 S Gay St, about 7 minutes.
The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center, 241 S College St, about 8 minutes.

If those are full, the university suggests Lake Martin, LaGrange, Columbus or Lake Harding, or a short-term rental, on its Fall Family Weekend page.

For parking, Parent & Family Programs "cannot guarantee parking for any guest." On the Friday of Homecoming 2026, street parking on the parade route closed at 3 p.m., and cars left after 5 p.m. could be towed. The Wright Street Parking Deck, 140 Wright Street, charges a flat $40 on home football Saturdays, per the City of Auburn as of October 2026. Tiger Transit runs free game-day routes starting four hours before an SEC kickoff, per Auburn-Opelika Tourism as of November 2026.

Can we visit our Auburn student on a quieter weekend instead?

Yes, you can visit your Auburn student on a quieter weekend instead of parents weekend. A quieter weekend at Auburn is one with no home football game, when the town is calmer and parking costs less. On game days, Parent & Family Programs says, "our lovely village triples in size." Downtown street spaces and the Gay Street and Tichenor Avenue lots are free on weekends, and the Wright Street deck is $1 an hour, per the City of Auburn as of October 2026.

Auburn's remaining 2026 football Saturdays, per the athletics schedule:

November 14: away, at Mississippi State.
November 21: home, against Samford.
November 28: away, at Alabama.

The academic calendar puts Thanksgiving break, with no classes, at November 23 to 27, so check your student's plans for that week. Final exams run December 7 to 11. In spring 2027, classes run January 6 to April 23, with spring break March 8 to 12.

Our one-day Auburn visit plan lays out a full day in town for a quieter weekend visit. A quiet Saturday is also a good day for a private tour of Auburn: $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes, with a current student. TourCollegeTowns is independent and not affiliated with Auburn University.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a spring family weekend at Auburn?

Yes, Auburn has a spring family event: Spring Family Fling, held on A-Day, the spring football game. In 2026 it was Saturday, April 18, 12 to 2 p.m. at the Wellness Kitchen, 370 South Donahue Drive, across the street from the game. Tickets were $30 for adults and $20 for students after the early-bird price sold out, per the ticket page. The 2027 date was not posted as of November 2026.

Can younger siblings come to Auburn Fall Family Weekend?

Yes, younger siblings can come to Auburn Fall Family Weekend: asked whether siblings can attend, Parent & Family Programs answers "Of course!" Each sibling needs a student ticket for the tailgate, which covers kids of all ages through college. Plan for walking: Parent & Family Programs says the weekend "usually involves significant amounts of walking" and it cannot provide shuttles or mobility chairs.

How do we get football tickets for the Auburn Homecoming game?

Football tickets for the Auburn Homecoming game are sold separately from the Family Weekend tailgate. For 2026, the tailgate ticket page sent families to SeatGeek for game tickets. For questions about football tickets, the 2025 Parent & Family email lists the Auburn Ticket Office at 855-282-2010, option one, or ticketsales@auburn.edu. Accessible stadium seating is arranged through Auburn Athletics.

Who do we contact about Auburn Fall Family Weekend?

Contact Auburn Parent & Family Programs about Fall Family Weekend at 334-844-1493 or parent@auburn.edu. The office also runs Family Connection Hours, a virtual webinar series; in 2026 it held "Fall Family Weekend: What You Need To Know" on Zoom on September 2, a few weeks before the weekend.