Spring is in full swing, a time to go outside and enjoy sunny skies, cool breezes and the many springtime events Penn has to offer between now and the end of the semester.

The 117th running of the Penn Relays will be held from Thursday, April 28, to Saturday, April 30, at Franklin Field. More than 22,000 track-and-field stars, from junior high school students to professionals, will compete. Penn faculty, staff and students can catch the action for free on Thursday and Friday by showing their PennCard.

Employees who bring their child to “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day,” on Thursday, April 28, can bring their sons and daughters to the Penn Relays. Tickets for children must be picked up at the Athletic Ticket Office in advance. Tickets will be issued for one child per staff member. Additional tickets can be purchased for $5.

Can’t make it to Franklin Field? Catch the live action at the Penn Relays website.

Penn graduates are welcomed back to campus for Alumni Weekend 2011, Friday, May 13, through Monday, May 16, and non-alums can join the festivities, too. Make new friends and get reacquainted with former classmates during Alumni Day, Saturday, May 14. University faculty and alumni will hold panel discussions on a wide range of topics, including food safety, the consequences of the economic crisis and estate planning.

WXPN-FM is offering a free concert and tours of the public radio station. There also will be a picnic on College Green and Hill Square with heaps of fun-filled activities for kids and adults. Non-alums can register by signing up as a “non-reunion registrant” on the Alumni Weekend website. The cost is $40 for the day for adults and $15 for children 6 and older.

On Monday, May 16, say fare thee well to the Class of 2011 at the University’s 255th Commencement. The ceremony begins around 9 a.m., as graduates begin the procession from 39th Street and Locust Walk to Franklin Field. This year’s Commencement speaker is director and Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington. Those who can’t make it to the ceremony can watch it live on a special webcast. To learn more about the webcast, visit www.upenn.edu/commencement/webcast.html.