Celebration Weekend draws friends, family from all over

A total of 534 families have registered for Celebration Weekend 2013, scheduled Oct. 18–20 on campus. Friends and family members of current students will get a peek at campus life, including classes, athletic events, special activities, and life in the surrounding community.

Registered guests hail from throughout the United States as well as Bermuda, France, the United Kingdom, and China. The first-year Class of 2017 has the highest number of registered guests, with 289 families planning to attend as of Oct. 15. Sophomores have 100 families registered; juniors, 76; and seniors, 69.

The annual event typically draws a good crowd, but this year’s response is especially strong, said Megan B. Mercier, associate director of alumni affairs and college events, who is coordinating the weekend. While guests attend to re-connect with their students, there’s no denying the appeal of a fall weekend in upstate New York.

“With more than 500 families registered for the weekend, it’s a tremendous opportunity to show off not only Skidmore’s beautiful campus, but also the best of Saratoga Springs,” Mercier said. “When they’re not taking advantage of on-campus programs like performances, athletic games, and faculty lectures, our guests are downtown shopping and dining. They enjoy the family time at Skidmore, as well as the opportunity to get off campus and explore the area. Saratoga is a great draw for our visiting families.”

The weekend’s schedule includes traditional favorites such as the President’s Hour with Skidmore President Philip Glotzbach, minicollege classes taught by Skidmore faculty, bus tours of downtown Saratoga Springs, departmental open houses, tours of the North Woods, and a concert by Filene Scholars from the Class of 2017 in the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

A new offering generating excitement this year is the Farm-to-Table Dinner in Murray-Aikins Dining Hall on Saturday night. The College’s Dining Services staff will prepare farm-fresh cuisine from Saratoga and Washington County farms in partnership with the Saratoga Farmers Market. Mercier reported that typically the Saturday dinner attracts about 125 guests but this year that number is closer to 400. Dining Services Director Mark Miller promises a menu featuring the best from such area farms as Sheldon, Kilpatrick, Wertmen, and Sunset Hill farms. "We wanted to try something new, and this is the peak of the harvest season," he said, of the "Farm to Table" theme. "With sustainability such an important issue on campus, we took advantage of the opportunity to provide locally sourced food for our guests," he explained. The menu will include new dishes featuring such seasonal favorites as apples, pumpkin, acorn and butternut squash, and maple highlights.

Click here for details about Celebration Weekend 2013.