Programs

Buckeye Family Day 2026 Schedule

Below you will find our confirmed list of events for Buckeye Family Day 2026. As more opportunities are confirmed, they will be added to the list. Some of the boxes will allow you to click them for more information about that particular event.

Buckeye Family Day Events

The doors on the High Street side of the Ohio Union

9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. / Great Hall Meeting Room, Ohio Union

Check-In

When you arrive on campus, stop by the Ohio Union to pick up your Buckeye Family Day wristbands. Registration and check-in only takes a few minutes to complete.

A view alongside the Scarlet Skyway inside the RPAC

9:30 a.m.-midnight / Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC)

Get Fit with Rec Sports

Parents and families gain free admission to the RPAC on Saturday with their Buckeye Family Day wristbands.

People pose for a selfie with Bronze Brutus in the Ohio Union

10 a.m.-noon / Great Hall, Ohio Union

Family Resource Studio

Meet staff members from a handful of university offices and departments and learn about the services available to your Buckeye.

Marketing material for Study Abroad Open House

10 a.m.-noon / Enarson Classroom Building 160

Explore Study Abroad at Ohio State

Join the Office of International Affairs for a drop‑in open house to learn more about the study abroad and the global education opportunities available to Ohio State students. We'll provide complimentary coffee and donuts!

Promotional material for the Off-Campus Open House held during Buckeye Family Day

10 a.m.-1 p.m. / 3rd Floor, Ohio Union

Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement Open House

Learn about Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement, see the Commuter Hub and students can pick up their free Birdie personal safety device.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. / West Plaza, Ohio Union

SuperGames on the Plaza

Enjoy inflatable games and cornhole just outside of the Ohio Union!

Outside of the Barnes and Noble Bookstore inside the Ohio Union

10 a.m.-4 p.m. / 1st floor, Ohio Union

Barnes and Noble in the Ohio Union

Visit the Barnes and Noble bookstore inside the Ohio Union, just across from check-in! Registered families will receive a special discount to use in the store.

Individuals participate in a group REACH training

10:30 a.m.-noon / Student Alumni Council Room, Ohio Union

REACHing Out with Parents and Families

Optional, free add-on - select during registration

Help create a campus culture of care and make suicide prevention a shared responsibility! Join the OSU Suicide Prevention Program and Parent and Family Relations office for a REACH Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training!

A family sitting on the patio at The Faculty Club

11 a.m. / The Faculty Club

LIMITED CAPACITY: Faculty Club Lunch

Optional add-on, limited capacity, reservation required

Enjoy a delicious lunch at The Faculty Club on campus. You can add this to your Buckeye Family Day registration.

1, 1:30, 2, 2:30 p.m. / Smith Lab, 5th floor

Planetarium

Enjoy a half hour in the Arne Slettebak Planetarium. Shows are first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive prior to the scheduled start time.

A bird's eye view of Ohio Stadium facing southwest, with Morrill Tower in the background

2-5 p.m. / Ohio Stadium (enter at North Rotunda)

Stadium Tour

Enjoy a self-guided tour of the historic Ohio Stadium. The tour includes access to the field and takes approximately one hour to complete.

3-4 p.m. / McPherson Lab 1000

Chemistry Demo Show

Join Ohio State’s Chemistry Demonstration Lab for an action-packed event and see how science can be fun and exciting. People of all ages are welcome to join us for an hour-long show full of fire, liquid nitrogen and an explosion or two.

4-6 p.m. / 390 Woody Hayes Dr, Columbus, OH 43210

Ice Skating

Enjoy an afternoon on the ice with your family! Ice skating is free with your Buckeye Family Day registration.

5 p.m., 7 p.m. / The Faculty Club

LIMITED CAPACITY: Faculty Club Dinner

Optional add-on, limited capacity, reservation required

Enjoy a delicious dinner at The Faculty Club on campus. You can add this to your Buckeye Family Day registration.

A side-angle view of Orton Hall with trees in the foreground

Time TBA / Orton Hall 110

Buckeye Necklaces and Bell Tower Tours

Ohio Staters, Inc. will be making Buckeye necklaces in Orton Hall. Coloring pages, Buckeye history and bell tower tours will be available too!

Students interact with a desktop computer at the Esports Arena

Time TBA / Lincoln Tower 210

Esports Arena Open House

Explore the world of gaming at the Ohio State Esports Arena! One of the largest facilities of its kind, the Esports Arena offers 90 gaming computers, two Virtual Reality stations, a broadcast room and more.

University Athletics (may require additional cost)

An Ohio State softball player swings at a pitch during a game

FRIDAY 5 p.m. / Buckeye Field

Softball vs. Michigan State

Tickets required. Click this box to purchase tickets.

Two men's tennis players in position during a doubles match

FRIDAY 6 p.m. / Ty Tucker Tennis Center

Men's Tennis vs. Illinois

No tickets required.

SATURDAY 1 p.m. / Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium

Men's Lacrosse vs. Penn State

Tickets required. Click this box to purchase tickets.

Players on Ohio State's softball team make an "O" shape with their arms

SATURDAY 2 p.m. / Buckeye Field

Softball vs. Michigan State

Tickets required. Click this box to purchase tickets.

A player from the Ohio State softball team running the bases

SUNDAY 1 p.m. / Buckeye Field

Softball vs. Michigan State

Tickets required. Click this box to purchase tickets.

Around Columbus (may require additional cost)

Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. / Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. / 56 Spruce St, Columbus, OH 43215

North Market

The North Market has a mix of more than 30 independently owned small businesses with a variety of food and gift options.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. / 480 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215

Columbus Museum of Art

Columbus Museum of Art’s mission is to create great experiences with great art for everyone. Their collection includes outstanding late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American and European modern works of art.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. / 4850 W Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

User: parentandfamily | Password: lion

Parents and families: Enjoy discounted tickets to see your favorite animals at the zoo! Click this box and enter the credentials above to unlock this exclusive ticket offer.