This year’s Homecoming lineup features beloved traditions, among them the parade and bonfire, on Nov. 1, and Big Green athletic events throughout the weekend.
The celebration will also include the dedication of the Lewinstein Athletic Center, honoring Diana Lewinstein and Stephen Lewinstein ’63 on Nov. 2.
With Homecoming just a few weeks away, the Bonfire Committee, all first-year undergraduates, has been busy preparing. The students lead dozens of other first-year volunteers in the construction of the bonfire and coordinate other bonfire-related activities.
Luke Trevisan ’28, one of the Bonfire Committee chairs, says he can’t wait to take over the Green for a few days and build the wooden frame.
“I wanted to be a part of the bonfire in order to help organize, hype up, and construct our great tradition, all while getting to know the rest of our class better,” says Trevisan, of Sudbury, Mass. “Also, bonfire day is my birthday, and what better way to spend it than with the biggest candle in New England?”
Friday, Nov. 1: Dartmouth Night
The leadup to Dartmouth Night will find the Class of 2028 at spirit stations around campus, gearing up with glitter and face paint. They will be “swept” to the Green from various locations assigned by their house communities.
Nearby, parade participants will start lining up at 7 p.m. along the Sphinx lawn on East Wheelock Street. The procession will leave at 7:30 p.m., head up East Wheelock to North Main Street and around the Green. There, they’ll be joined by the Class of 2028 for the Dartmouth Night ceremonies, including talks by Cheryl Bascomb ’82, vice president for alumni relations, President Sian Leah Beilock, Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation Mike Harrity, and student athletes at 8 p.m. in front of Dartmouth Hall. The bonfire, which will be livestreamed, will start at 8:30 p.m.
Earlier that day, Kevin Ramos-Glew, Guarini ’08, director of enrollment planning, will lead a workshop on the selective admissions process from 2 to 4 p.m. in Loew Auditorium; registration is required. Tours of Baker Bell Tower will be available between 2 and 4 p.m. Women’s ice hockey faces off against Brown at 6 p.m. at Thompson Arena. And the entire Dartmouth community is invited to join Alumni Relations for refreshments from 5 to 7 p.m. at the tent on Alumni Gym West lawn.
Saturday, Nov. 2: Honoring alums
Events on Saturday include the dedication of the Lewinstein Athletic Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the East Tent, on the Alumni Gym Lawn. Alumni Gym is being renamed in honor of Diana Lewinstein and Stephen Lewinstein ’63, whose gift to Dartmouth Athletics last year will support the health, wellness, and competitiveness of Dartmouth’s varsity student-athletes.
A talk by Anna Mahoney, executive director of the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences, entitled Will the United States Elect Its First Woman President? is set for 10 to 11 a.m. in Loew Auditorium.
Also that day, Bartlett Tower will be open to visitors from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., parents and families can gather for hot drinks and baked goodies from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the West Tent on Alumni Gym Lawn, and a tailgate lunch for alumni from the classes of 2015 to 2024 is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m., also at the West Tent. Tours of Baker Bell Tower continue from 1 to 3 p.m.
Dartmouth teams will compete throughout the day, including equestrian vs. Charleston at 10 a.m. at Morton Farm, women’s rugby vs. Brown at 11 a.m. at Brophy Field, and varsity football vs. Harvard, at 1:30 p.m. at Buddy Teevens Stadium at Memorial Field, with recognition of Dartmouth’s Wearers of the Green. All at 3 p.m., women’s ice hockey takes on Yale at Thompson Arena, men’s rugby squares off against Harvard at Brophy Field, and women’s soccer plays Brown at Burnham Field. The contests wrap up with men’s soccer vs. Princeton at 7 p.m. at Burnham Field.
Closing thoughts: ‘Creating cherished memories’
Looking forward to Homecoming, Bonfire Chair Vani Miglani ’28, of Delhi, India, says she’s all about school spirit, traditions, and bringing people together.
“Nothing makes me happier than creating moments that bring smiles to faces and turn into cherished memories,” says Miglani, who served on student council in high school. “I’m excited to dive into Dartmouth’s traditions, meet new people, and keep that sense of community alive, where everyone feels heard and connected.”
The chairs also include Alanna Polyak, Daniel Shin, Ivy Wydler, and Violet Cueva-Flores, all ’28s.