Family Weekend Bear Down Friday is coming to Main Gate Square on Oct. 11. Family Weekend is a time when families come from all over to see their students, possibly for the first time since the year began in August. 

This gives families a chance to experience the Tucson community and see what it means to be a Wildcat by experiencing University of Arizona traditions, including the classic Bear Down Friday. 

This year will be the 14th year that Main Gate Square and UA’s ZonaZoo will host the event, according to Jane McCollum, general manager of the Marshall Foundation, which runs Main Gate Square. 

“This is an awesome event because it is always nice to see students reunite with their families and seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces,” McCollum said.

RELATED: New BBQ restaurant and Bar opens in place of The Fix

Every Friday that there is a home football game, Main Gate Square hosts Bear Down Friday, a free event at the Tyndall Avenue stage where the community can come and cheer on the UA football team. 

The Family Weekend Bear Down Friday will start at 4 p.m. and will feature, as always, the UA cheerleaders, pom line, the Pride of Arizona marching band and UA mascots Wilbur and Wilma. There will also be special appearances from Annamarie Tellez, the director of UA Parent and Family Programs, UA’s Black N’ Blue Hip Hop Crew, four different radio stations and KVOA doing live cut-ins. 

“With events like these, we hope that the families will be able to meet other students, Wildcat families, faculty and staff members — overall, everyone should feel like they are part of the Wildcat family,” Tellez said in an email.

Tellez said she wants to ensure that families have the opportunity to see what life is like both on and off campus.

Stores and restaurants also have special hours and deals specifically for Family Weekend. A-City, a Main Gate Square store, gives 10% off to any student or family member that shows their CatCard.

“It is one of our most busiest times of the year because so many people come around with their family members,” said Tristan Foster, a sales associate from A-City. 

Find other sales and hours on the Main Gate Square website.

Follow the Daily Wildcat on Twitter