On Saturday, Oct. 12,  Nicholls State University will hold its annual Family Day starting at 11 a.m.

The events will take place outside of John L. Guidry stadium right before the Nicholls vs. Northwestern State University football game.

The Family Day tradition began in 1984 after a past president of Nicholls, Donald Ayo, visited a school that had a similar event. After the visit, Ayo decided that Nicholls needed Family Day, an event in which the entirety of the Nicholls community would come together in the same way.

Kristen Anselmi, chair of Family Day planning, said the event is like a big festival with interactive booths that have games, activities, giveaways, concessions and music.

Everything at the event is free to attendees, excluding concessions and store merchandise.  Family day is free to attendees because of the participation of departments and organizations hosting and providing for their own booths, games, merchandise, giveaway items and more.

”It’s a great way for students to introduce their parents to the Nicholls community,” Amanda Fremin, co-chair of the Family Day planning committee, said.

The event not only caters to students and their families, but also alumni and community members and their families.

“There are different types of families that attend family day; you have your alumni, who are bringing younger children, and you have your college students, that are bringing mom and dad. You don’t have to be a graduate of Nicholls to support Nicholls,” Anselmi said.

This year’s Family Day will include the Nicholls Bookstore merchandise, a DJ and discounted tickets for that day’s football game.

At Family Day, current, full-time Nicholls students will be able to purchase up to five guest tickets for five dollars each with their Colonel Card. Others will be able to purchase $12 discounted tickets for that day online at nichollstickets.com.

Nicholls students and faculty are able to register a booth to represent an organization or department on nicholls.edu/family-day/signup-form.