Family Weekend 2001 will be filled with events for everybody, and two of the main events are hypnotist Steve Meade and Casino/Family Fun Night.

Steve Meade, a 1990 ISU graduate, will help kick off Family Weekend 2001 with his show 8 p.m. Friday in the Memorial Union Great Hall.

This will be Meade’s fourth performance at Family Weekend.

“Steve has gotten great reviews with Iowa State students,” said Amber Hoyt, special events co-chair for the Family Weekend 2001 committee. “We know he’s awesome, and he’s really excited to come here.”

Cost for the event is $5, or $4 for Student Alumni Association members.

Meade said he first became interested in hypnosis after he used it to help him get straight As his last semester at college.

“I have used it to help people stop smoking, lose weight, get better grades,” he said. “This weekend is obviously for entertainment, but there will be some people who will end up getting better grades or who will quit smoking after this weekend.”

Meade, a native of Iowa, has performed for more than 1,200 people at universities and businesses in the past eight years, but said he especially enjoys returning to Iowa State.

“I love it. [Iowa State] is my favorite place to do shows. College shows are by far the most fun, but there’s some attachment to returning to your alma mater,” he said.

Hoyt, junior in animal science, said about 150 people have pre-registered to see Meade perform, but there will be many walk-ins.

“For only five bucks, you get an hour and a half of entertainment,” said Joe Lichty, Family Weekend 2001 committee chairman.

People can let `em ride at Casino/Family Night, from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Some of the games available are blackjack, poker, electronic basketball and miniature golf, said Angie Guggisberg, executive assistant for the committee.

Cost for Casino/Family Fun Night is also $5, or $4 for Student Alumni Association members.

“This will be a good way for new students to have fun,” said Lichty, senior in agricultural systems technology. “And there will even be celebrity dealers, such as President Geoffroy and Cy.”

There will also be some great prizes, said Guggisberg, sophomore in construction engineering.

“We got some great donations from 3M, Cargill, 20th Century Bowling and a bunch of restaurants, just to name a few,” she said.

“The one I’m really excited about, although I can’t win it, is the ride-along in an airplane,” Hoyt said.

“There are gift certificates to virtually everywhere, and we’re still in the process of getting some bigger prizes.”

Committee members said they encourage everyone to attend.