Dartmouth celebrates a big weekend every term, but as the oldest big weekend with the largest alumni draw, Homecoming is the biggest of the big weekends.
Senior Associate Director of Alumni Relations David Orr said as far as alumni are concerned, Homecoming is the big weekend of the year.
"Very few [alumni] come back for Green Key, except for a few young people," he said. "And Winter Carnival is not the alumni draw it used to be."
Orr said over 40 alumni classes are returning to Hanover for Homecoming, and he estimated that amounts to about 2,000 weekend visitors.
"It is hard to say exactly how many that is since there is no official registration," he said. "But when I stand in front of Dartmouth Hall during the bonfire, there are about eight to 10 thousand people on the Green -- students, alums, administrators and Hanover residents."
Most current Dartmouth students agree Homecoming is the big weekend of the year, as well.
Dan TenPas '97 said he thinks Homecoming is the most popular big weekend because it is the first one of the year and "everyone is psyched."
"Fall is the best time to be on campus," TenPas said.
He said Fall term sees the most students on campus, and Homecoming has the most unique activities.
"Green Key is fun," TenPas said. "But it doesn't have the bonfire or the big game to make it stand out."
Pete Land '99 said he thinks the biggest weekend of the year is "Homecoming, without a doubt."
"Maybe I am just remembering freshman year, because there are so many freshman-oriented activities," Land said. "But it is the first big party weekend, and everyone is showing their best stuff."
He said the ideal weather of Fall term and the football game which brings people to campus add to the fun of Homecoming weekend.
Amy Yost '98 said she also likes the sporting events of Homecoming because it is "like we are rallying for something."
She said the fact that Homecoming occurs during the fall also makes it a great weekend.
Ilana Liebert '97 said since everyone has just returned after summer vacations, Homecoming is especially exciting.
She said she thinks the bonfire is big part of Homecoming, and is better than the Winter Carnival snow sculpture, especially because the lack of snow has hampered sculpture-building in the past few years.
"Green Key is fun, but short-lived," Liebert said.
Jean Shein '97 said she thinks Homecoming is the biggest of the big weekends because it "incorporates a lot of Dartmouth's past" and all the alumni come back.
Nathan Rugg '97 said he thinks as far as tradition and bringing back alumni, Homecoming is definitely the big weekend of the year.
"You don't see as much of that at Carnival," he said. Rugg said he thinks Green Key is a bigger party weekend, though.
But Shannon Beckering '97 said his favorite weekend is Green Key.
"It lasts longer," he said. "It starts on about Tuesday and goes straight through the weekend."
Beckering said he also likes Green Key because "it's nice to get back outside" after the long winter.
Freshman Eric Maycotte said he is "pretty psyched" about Homecoming.
He said he planned to help build the bonfire. He also said he is looking forward to the big football game against Yale and thinks "there are going to be a lot of great parties."
"I have heard Winter Carnival is great, too," Maycotte said. "But they are on two different scales."
Jason Gelman '00 said he has heard upperclassmen saying that "Homecoming was really cool as a freshman, but not after that."
Gelman said he has heard the weekend is "going to be a good time."
