photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Kansas Union on the University of Kansas campus is pictured on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Kansas Union at the University of Kansas, and the university will be celebrating its history and traditions with bowling, a scavenger hunt, casino games, wedding cake and more throughout this year.

Since its founding, the Kansas Union has become a hub for the campus community, and KU is inviting the public to a series of celebrations that reflect that “century of tradition,” according to a news release.

The first one is this weekend, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, and is called “Union after Dark.” It’s a callback to the old bowling alley on the first level of the union, which closed in May 2015. It was open for 62 years and served as the home of KU’s bowling team, which won a national championship in 2004.

On Sunday, the union will “semi-restore” the original bowling alley space, where they can “play a striking game, explore historical pieces on display and enjoy complimentary treats,” the release said. Other parts of the building will be “transformed into a glow-in-the-dark experience” with mini golf and a “silent disco.”

Here are some other events that are planned the year to celebrate the Kansas Union and its traditions:

• Legacy of Love; Monday, March 23; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Danforth Chapel; 1405 Jayhawk Blvd.

This event will highlight Danforth Chapel, which has been around for 80 years and has hosted nearly 5,000 weddings, according to KU’s website. The anniversary event will feature a history gallery, wedding cake samples and a crafts station where guests can create their own flower bouquet.

• Burge Bash; Saturday, April 25; 4 to 7 p.m.; Burge Union; 1565 Irving Hill Road.

This will be a celebration of the “satellite union” known as the Burge Union, which has had two incarnations on KU’s campus — the original building that was constructed in 1979 and razed in 2016, and a new, modern building that replaced it. On April 25, it will host a “casino-style experience” where guests can play games, enter raffles for prizes and explore an exhibit about the building’s history.

• Union 100th Birthday Party; Thursday, April 30; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Ascher Plaza, Kansas Union; 1301 Jayhawk Blvd.

This party will celebrate the day the first cornerstone was laid for the Kansas Union a century ago. Explore a timeline of the building’s history and participate in a building-wide scavenger hunt.

• Union 100th Celebration; Saturday, June 13; 2 to 8 p.m.; various locations, including Kansas Union, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd.

This will be the grand opening for renovations on the fourth level of the union. As the Journal-World reported, remodeling work has been going on in the lobby of the fourth level since January, including the installation of new floors and a new look for the coffee shop and lounge area. The festivities on June 13 will include an invite-only luncheon and a cake-cutting ceremony at Ascher Plaza that is open to the public.

• Baby Jay Celebration; Friday, Oct. 9; 10 a.m. to noon; Ascher Plaza, Kansas Union; 1301 Jayhawk Blvd.

This year, KU will also be celebrating the 55th birthday of Baby Jay, who hatched from a giant papier-mâché egg during halftime of KU football’s homecoming win over Kansas State on Oct. 9, 1971. Visitors on Oct. 9 can wish Baby Jay a happy birthday, sign a card and enjoy doughnuts and some KU gear.

For more information about the events that make up the Kansas Union’s 100-year celebration, visit the union’s website at union.ku.edu/Union100.