Parents and Support Pack Weekend is a Michigan Tech tradition held each fall in late September/early October. It's a weekend for parents, grandparents, families, partners, and friends to come and visit their students, explore campus, and see the local sights.
Weekend Ideas (Friday, Oct. 4 and Saturday, Oct. 5)
Visiting Michigan Tech offers a variety of options from cheering on the Huskies to exploring the natural wonders of the local area.
Friday, Oct. 4th
- Parent/Support Pack Check-in - 2:00 - 5:00 pm
- Location is in the MUB Datolite Room 100
- Keweenaw Plaidurday Celebration
- Arrive at 12:30 pm for the 1:00 pm photo at the Houghton High School Football Field
- We are trying to break last years attendance!!
- Homecoming Cardboard Boat races - Chassell Waterfront Park - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
- NOTE: Due to damage from a storm, the Houghton Waterfront Park is closed and the Cardboard
Boat Races have been moved to the Chassell Waterfront Park (where K-day is held).
- FREE shuttle that will leave from the MUB and the SDC to take families to and from the Chassell Waterfront Park starting at 3:00 pm until the end of the races
- FREE shuttle that will leave from the MUB and the SDC to take students to and from the Chassell Waterfront Park starting at 3:00 pm
- Parking is limited so we recommend the shuttle
- NOTE: Due to damage from a storm, the Houghton Waterfront Park is closed and the Cardboard
Boat Races have been moved to the Chassell Waterfront Park (where K-day is held).
- Mont Ripley Fall Color Chairlift Rides - 3:00 - 7:00 pm
- TICKETS are $13.00 for Adults, and $10.00 for Tech Students
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Mont Ripley will once again be offering chairlift rides for fall color viewing.
Come see the spectacular fall colors and overlook the Michigan Tech campus from the top of Mont Ripley.
- Brew Street - 5 pm - 10 pm
- City of Houghton Public Pier (map)
- Celebrate Plaidurday by wearing your favorite pattern to a lively beer garden at the Houghton Downtown Pier, complete with live music, food trucks, and great beer choices
- New Music in the Mine
- Quincy Mine, US-41 Hancock 6 pm
- Purchase New Music in the Mine Tickets
- Husky Volleyball - Huskies vs Lake Superior State University Lakers - 7:00 pm
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- SDC Varsity Gym
- Purchase Volleyball Tickets
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- Husky Soccer - Huskies vs Saginaw Valley State University - 5:00 pm
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- Kearly Stadium
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- Calumet Players - "Into the Woods"
- Quincy Mine Tour - Book a tour on line - MI Tech student rate for entire family (when student shows ID) If you book on line, please make sure you have your MI Tech ID with you when you get to the Quincy Mine for your tour.
Saturday, Oct. 5th
- Parent/Support Pack check-in 8:00 - 11:00 am
- Location is in the MUB Alumni Lounge room 107
- Keweenaw Color Run 2024 - 9:30 am - 11:00 am
- Register until Oct. 4th
- Adults - $20 - Students - $15
- Huskies Homecoming Tailgate - SDC Lot 24 - 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
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- Food and Fun
- Students need their HuskyCard ID to get into the game and the tailgate.
- Anyone with a game ticket can get into the tailgate
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- Michigan Tech Homecoming - Come cheer on the Huskies!
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- Husky Football vs. Wayne State - 12:00 pm Kearly Stadium - purchase your tickets here
- Husky Football vs. Wayne State - 12:00 pm Kearly Stadium - purchase your tickets here
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- First year and first time transfer student group picture
- 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (right after the Michigan Tech football game on the football field.
- Mont Ripley Fall Chairlift Rides - 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
- TICKETS are $13.00 for Adults, and $10.00 for Tech Students
-
Mont Ripley will once again be offering chairlift rides for fall color viewing.
Come see the spectacular fall colors and overlook the Michigan Tech campus from the top of Mont Ripley.
- Houghton Fall Fest - 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
- Houghton's third annual Fall Fest will feature autumn-themed activities and goodies for the whole family.
- Take a tractor ride along the Portage waterfront
- 150 small pumpkins will be available for children 0-12. One per child while supplies last. Niemela’s Pumpkin Patch will have their pumpkins for sale.
- Coffee/cider will be available for purchase. • Listen to live music
- Pumpkin bowling and the cute giant pumpkin will be there for photos.
- Porkies Chair Lift Rides - 12:00 - 6:00 pm
- Porcupine Mountains Ski Area, Michigan 107, Ontonagon, MI 49953, USA (map)
- $10 tickets can be purchased at the chalet.
- Husky Volleyball - Huskies vs Saginaw Valley - 2:00 pm
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- SDC Wood Gym
- Purchase your Volleyball Tickets
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- Hockey Exhibition Game - Huskies vs. Northern Michigan University - 6:07 pm
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- SDC Ice Arena
- Purchase your Hockey Tickets
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- Calumet Players - "Into the Woods"
- Quincy Mine Tour - Book a tour on line - MI Tech student rate for entire family (when student shows ID) If you book on line, please make sure you have your MI Tech ID with you when you get to the Quincy Mine for your tour.
For more information about Husky athletics, visit the Michigan Tech Athletics website.
To purchase tickets for any of the Michigan Tech Athletic events, visit the ticket office website.
Take a Trip North
- Attend a show at The Historic Calumet Theatre Tickets can be purchased on line or by calling the Calumet Theatre Box Office at (906) 337-2610.
- Explore Calumet, one of Michigan's most historical cities. The Visitor Center is rich with history of the Keweenaw or stop by the Farmer's Market for some fresh produce and locally made goods.
- Take a side stop to see some of the waterfalls on your way north. Jacob's Falls and Eagle River Falls are right off MI -26, while the Montreal Falls are a bit more of a hike.
- Visit the Jampot for wild berry jam, baked goods, and coffee.
- Stop by Brockway Mountain for a great view, hiking not required.
Explore Your Student's New Home
- Hancock
- Visit the Magic Kiln Studio and paint some pottery. No experience required.
- Grab a coffee and play a board game at KC Bonkers. If you find a new family classic, they likely have a copy you can purchase for your next family event.
- Be brave and take a dip in the often chilly Lake Superior. McLain State Park is a great option, but there are dozens of other beaches in the area to check out.
- Houghton
- Book a session at Respawn Tactical Laser Tag for some friendly competition.
- Embrace your inner child at Chutes and Ladders, one of the greatest play areas in Michigan. Pack a swimsuit and take a dip in the Portage Canal afterward.
- Like to collect rocks? Like to look at rocks? Take a tour of the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum and check out their amazing collection.
Spend some Time Outdoors
- Get up early (or stay out late) to see the sun over the water. The Keweenaw has unobstructed views over Superior from both the East and West for beautiful views.
- Toss a line in the water and see if you can catch some fish. There are charter options for Lake Superior, 18 inland lakes in the Keweenaw, and dozens of other options, including the Portage Canal in Houghton.
- Dust off your clubs - or rent a set- and get out on the golf course. Portage Lake Golf Course is a great option near campus, but there are plenty of other courses for all skill levels.
- Take a drive to the Porcupine Mountains and visit Lake of the Clouds and have an outdoor hiking adventure.
- Go exploring and find one of the hundreds of named waterfalls in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
- For a little more adrenaline, check out Copper Harbor for some Mountain Biking, consistently ranked in the top 20 best trails globally.
Get the Keweenaw Experience
- Schedule a Mine Tour and explore the depths of some of the world's most historic copper mines. They call it the Copper Country for a reason!
- Go searching for Yooperlites, Sea Glass, or other interesting finds on the beach.
- Pasties are UP staples. There are hundreds of options from St. Ignace to Copper Harbor and everyone has their favorite. Slim's Cafe is the reigning PastyFest 2023 champion (third consecutive year), located 20 miles north in Mohawk.
- Grab some firewood and have a bonfire at Breakers. If you get lucky, you might even be able to see the Northern Lights.
- Experience a piece of Finnish culture and visit a Sauna. Many of the local hotels have saunas for their guests to use, but you can access saunas if you have a student living in the residence halls, or with a day pass at the SDC.
Parking during Parent and Support Pack Weekend
Parking (map accessed here) will be FREE at the following locations from 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, until 7:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7:
- All campus meters EXCEPT in Lot 4 by Hillside.
- The following lots on campus:
- Lot 27 off Hwy 41 by the Administration Building.
- Lots 5, 9 and 10 West near the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.
- Lot 1 across from the Administration Building
- Lot 12 off Hwy 41 in front of the Memorial Union Building
- Lot 13 next to Fisher, Lot 14 by the Hamar House (CDI)
- Lot 8 on the Portage Canal side of Walker Arts & Humanities and the Rozsa Building.
- Lot 2 behind the ROTC Building
- Lot 3 behind the Mechanical Engineering / Engineering Mechanical Building
- Visitor Parking areas by Daniel Heights
Areas where you cannot park during Parent and Support Pack Weekend:
- All lots that are in front of or behind any of the Residence Halls, which includes:
- Lots 15W, 15E, 17L, and 17U in front of and behind Wadsworth Hall
- Lot 16 next to McNair Hall
- Lot 4 next to Hillside Place
- Lot 21 behind the Forestry Building
- Lot 10E which is the first parking lot as you enter the Michigan Tech campus heading north.
Prior to 4:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, or after 7:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, you may park and pay at the campus meters or park in the 2-hour limit Lot 24 by the Student Development Complex.
