Family Weekend

Please note: This schedule will be updated regularly and all events/details are subject to change. 

Schedule a visit for your NEXT Luther College student! Reserved times with the Luther College Admissions Office are available on Friday, Sept. 18 at 9 a.m.,10:30 a.m., or 1 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 19 at 10 a.m.  Saturday is a Blue and White Day! Registration will close at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, so be sure to register early!

8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. | Luther College Book Shop open, Dahl Centennial Union, main level

10:30 a.m. | Chapel, Center for Faith and Life | WATCH THE LIVESTREAM
Musical offering performed by Collegiate Chorale.

4:30 p.m. | Canoeing/Kayaking on the Upper Iowa River, Meet in front of Dahl Centennial Union
Recreational Services invites students and families to explore the Upper Iowa River! All supplies will be provided, and people should wear shoes and clothing that can get wet. The trip can accommodate up to 20 individuals and should be about 2 hours. Sign-up here.

7  p.m. to 9 p.m.| Driftless Jazz Collective at Impact Coffee, 101 W Water St. Downtown Decorah.  

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. | Live Music with Matt Sayles at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Drive, Decorah

8 p.m. to 10 p.m.| Karaoke Night hosted by Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES), Marty’s (lower level, Dahl Centennial Union)
Join CIES for a fun evening of singing to your favorite songs! Bring your family and friends, request your favorite tracks, and help us kick off the weekend!

Decorah Area Dining Options – Check out downtown Decorah and take advantage of the restaurants, ice cream and pizza joints, coffee shops, and sports bars both downtown and in the surrounding area, many owned by Luther grads, offering a wide variety of cuisines from all over. We recommend reservations at most places – call ahead to check for sure!

Please note: This schedule will be updated regularly and all events/details are subject to change. 

Schedule a visit for your NEXT Luther College student! Reserved times with the Luther College Admissions Office are available on Friday, Sept. 18 at 9 a.m.,10:30 a.m., or 1 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 19 at 10 a.m.  Saturday is a Blue and White Day! Registration will close at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, so be sure to register early!

8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Coffee at the President’s House, 711 Ridge Road, Decorah
President Brad and Julie Chamberlain, along with the Luther Parents and Family Council, invite parents and families to start the day with coffee and conversation. Street parking is available. If you need accessible parking, please park in the driveway.

9 a.m. | Decorah Community Sponsored Walk to End Alzheimers | Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Drive, Decorah
Registration & Networking with Vendors at 9:00 am, Opening Ceremony at 10:00 am with a 2-mile or 1-mile walk immediately following. Members of Luther’s Alpha Beta Psi chapter will be there to welcome students and families.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Family Weekend Information Table, Dahl Centennial Union
Need guidance or have questions? Stop by for area maps, recommended activitites, and Luther swag. 

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Decorah Farmers Market, located below the Oneota Co-op on Heivly St.
The Decorah Farmers Market is the best place to find local food and goods from Northeast Iowa’s small producers and artisans. The outdoor market takes place May through October on Wednesday afternoons from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Note: At 10 a.m. there is an organized walk to the Farmers Market.  See the schedule below.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Vesterheim Museum open, 502 W. Water St., Downtown Decorah
Vesterheim Museum invites Luther families to come and see the collection that began at Luther in 1877.  Admission is free for Luther students.  Be sure to take a few minutes to visit the new addition that opened in 2023 – it’s beautiful! Vesterheim will offer a tour of the main museum building at 11 a.m. and a tour of the historic Heritage Park at 1:30 p.m.

9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Luther College Book Shop open, Dahl Centennial Union, main level

9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Class Rings in Lobby, Dahl Centennial Union
Class Ring Promo: $75 off 10k, 14k, and 18k class rings! Visit with Luther’s Jostens representative to learn more and to place your order.

10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Secrets of the Library Mini Escape Room, Room 212, Preus Library.
30-minute time-slots available for small groups/families. Sign-up here.

11 a.m. | Vesterheim Museum, 502 W. Water St., Downtown Decorah
Join a free tour of the main museum building.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Showcase Lunch with Bon Appétit, Luther’s dining partner, lower level, Dahl Centennial Union 
Families are invited to enjoy a showcase of Luther’s new fresh and local seasonal flavors with Cafe Bon Appétit, offering an expanded menu and a galore of tasty made-from-scratch items.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Soccer Games Tailgating with Luther’s Food Truck, next to the Luther Soccer Field
Join the festivites centered around the double-header men and women’s soccer games! Food and beverages will be available, along with plenty of entertainment between the Luther College Cheer Team, lawn games, and half-time fun that could include you and your student! Food items available include tater tot nachos, hot dog/chili dog, hot pretzel with cheese sauce, housemate kettle chips and dip, snacks and beverages.

11:00 a.m.| Men’s Soccer vs. Beloit, Luther Soccer Field | WATCH THE LIVESTREAM
Seniors will be recognized after the game.

12:30 p.m. | Concert, featuring Concert Band and Jazz Orchestra, Center for Faith and Life | WATCH THE LIVESTREAM

1 p.m. | Canoeing/Kayaking on the Upper Iowa River, Meet in front of Dahl Centennial Union
Recreational Services invites students and families to explore the Upper Iowa River! All supplies will be provided, and people should wear shoes and clothing that can get wet. The trip can accommodate up to 12 individuals at a time and should be about 2 hours. This trip is full. 

1:30 p.m. | Vesterheim Museum, 502 W. Water St., Downtown Decorah
Join a free tour of the historic Heritage Park.

1:30 p.m. | Women’s Soccer vs. Beloit, Luther Soccer Field | WATCH THE LIVESTREAM.
Seniors will be recognized before the game.

2 p.m. to 3 p.m. | Ballroom and Swing Showcase, Studio 2, Center for the Arts
Join the Luther College Ballroom & Swing Team for a Family Weekend showcase. Members of our competitive team, from newcomers to our most advanced dancers, will give a demonstration of both smooth and rhythm dances in which we compete. We look forward to displaying our vast array of talented ballroom dancers and showing off what our newcomers have learned in just a few short weeks. We will end the showcase by inviting friends and family to join us on the floor to learn the basic moves for Hustle, a popular social dance that is easy to both teach and learn, and enjoy some social dancing for all ages and experience levels. All are welcome!

7 p.m. | Concert, featuring Aurora, Collegiate Chorale, Cathedral Choir, Norskkor, and Symphonic Band, Center for Faith and Life | WATCH THE LIVESTREAM

8:30 p.m. | SAC Hop Soda Shoppe, featuring Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Band, Marty’s (lower level, Dahl Centennial Union)
Join SAC, Luther’s Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Ballroom & Swing for a fun night of music, dancing, and free soda and ice cream!

Please note: This schedule will be updated regularly and all events/details are subject to change. 

9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Luther College Book Shop open, Dahl Centennial Union, main level

9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Class Rings in Lobby, Dahl Centennial Union
Class Ring Promo: $75 off 10k, 14k, and 18k class rings! Visit with Luther’s Jostens representative to learn more and to place your order.

10 a.m. | Family Weekend Worship Service, Center for Faith and Life | WATCH THE LIVESTREAM
Preaching and presiding: Melissa Bills, Director of College Ministries and College Pastor
Special Music: Nordic Choir, Tim Peter ’86, director

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Sustainability Tour, meet in front of Dahl Centennial Union
Join the Center for Sustainable Communities for a student-led sustainability tour of campus.

1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Disc Golf Outing, meet below Towers at tee pad 1, right across from Lindeman Pond
Bring your friends and families and enjoy a fun afternoon disc golfing! Join the Luther College Disc Golf Club for their second tournament of the semester – a standard three bracket tournament. Discs will be provided.

In addition to catching up with your student and participating in scheduled events, you may be wondering what else you might do. Here are some ideas:

Shopping

• Hit the Luther Book Shop to stock (or restock) your Luther gear.
• It’s garage sale weekend in Decorah! Stop by Kwik Star, Casey’s, Decorah Mart, Fareway, Walmart, or HyVee to pick up a September 17 Decorah Leader newspaper to find the listings and a map.
• With nearly every storefront full, downtown Decorah is bursting with retailers, offering nearly everything you might need to check some things off your holiday shopping list (no, it’s not too early). Clothing stores, gift shops, arts and crafts suppliers, candle shops, a food co-op, bookstores, and much more.

Campus Exploration

• Take a look at the view of the Valley from the deck of Dahl Centennial Union.
• Visit the Experiential Learning Showcase – posters will be displayed throughout the first floor of Sampson Hoffland and Valders all weekend.  This showcase includes a variety of internships and research projects completed by Luther students from September 2025 through summer 2026.
• Check-out the Art Exhibit: Picturing Luther: Remembering Place, Space, and the Passage of Time. The Luther College campus has long been known for its scenic landscape, historic character, and strong sense of community. This gallery exhibit highlights artworks from the Luther College Fine Arts Collection that depict iconic campus spaces and explore their significance over time, featuring artworks by faculty and alumni, including Norwegian-American artist H.Gausta, O. Running, C. Homstad, and recently acquired Doseff watercolors from the 1920s. The exhibit will also feature archival photographs of student life from different eras, illustrating how these spaces have been used to foster connection, learning, and community across generations.
  Dahl Union Gallery Hours: 8am-10pm throughout the weekend.

Nature

• Visit Bluffside Gardens at 1020 Park Street from dawn to dusk to pick your own wildflower bouquet to leave with your student (or take one home for yourself)! Design a small ($8) or a large bouquet ($15) with provided vases. Cash or venmo accepted under a self-serve honor system. Take a Luther vase and receive $3 off! While you’re there, take time to enjoy the rows of wildflowers, winding garden paths, and new landscape features like the tree webs—suspended, bungee-style nets woven between the trees for visitors to bounce and lounge!
• Pack your hiking shoes or bicycles (you can also rent bicycles!), you can hit the trails early and still make lunch! With miles and miles of trails over the rolling hills as well as up into the bluffs, you can really get lost in this part of the Driftless Region. We also recommend visiting two of our favorite parks: Dunning’s Spring and Phelps Park.

Decorah

• Check out downtown Decorah and take advantage of the restaurants, ice cream and pizza joints, coffee shops, and sports bars both downtown and in the surrounding area, many owned by Luther grads, offering a wide variety of cuisines from all over. If you visit Toppling Goliath Brewing Co., mention that you are a Luther family to recevie 1/2 off an appetizer when you purchase a drink. When dining, we recommend reservations at most places – call ahead to check for sure!
• Learn a bit about Decorah’s heritage by stopping in at the Vesterheim Museum (they also have an outdoor area that is lovely).

Luther College Book Shop (located on the main level of Dahl Centennial Union)
Friday, September 18: 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, September 19: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, September 20: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cafeteria (located in the lower level of Dahl Centennial Union)
Friday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Oneota Market (located on the main level of Dahl Centennial Union)
Features pre-made items, sandwiches, salad bar and soups.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: CLOSED

Nordic Brew (located on the main level of Dahl Centennial Union)
Features coffee (including specialty coffees),smoothies, bakery items, and cinnamon rolls.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nordic Mart (located on the main level in Oneota Market)
Luther’s convenience store with cold drinks, snacks, health and wellness items, and household items.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.