Everything from a Cabaret Showcase to the National Gallery of Art’s Van Gogh exhibit will be featured this weekend as GW rolls out the red carpet for parents.

The official kickoff for Family Weekend is Friday at 4 p.m., with check-in locations at the Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses.

Activities for the rest of the weekend include a midnight performance Friday night by GW’s improvisational comedy troupe, Recess, and a hay ride and pumpkin carving at the Mount Vernon campus Saturday afternoon.

Rodney Johnson, director of parent services and an organizer of the event, said he is optimistic about the weekend.

“We’re really excited about it. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “It looks like we’re going to have a good turnout too. The area hotels are all full or almost full.”

Johnson said he feels Family Weekend will be a success this year in part because of help from students and faculty.

“We have some wonderful volunteers,” he said.

Students also expressed their enthusiasm about the weekend.

“I’m very excited,” junior Emily Cherniack said. “I think it will be fun for (my parents) to come see where I live.”

Some students said the prospect of a “good meal” is one the reasons for their excitement.

“I’m very excited to go out for a nice dinner,” junior Kaitlin Donahue said. “My dad is going to take me out for a night on the town.”

“I’m looking forward to matzo ball soup,” freshman Jon Schwartz said.

Johnson also said he hopes the fun of Family Weekend will extend to students whose parents are not visiting campus.

“We’re really encouraging entire families to come, but we also hope that everyone will get involved,” Johnson said. “We even want students whose parents can’t come to get involved and be part of Family Weekend as well.”