Thousands of students, alumni and local residents flocked to the Green, spilling out into the streets of Hanover, for the 101st Dartmouth Night celebration on Friday.
Before hearing the speeches given in front of Dartmouth Hall, the crowd witnessed a parade up Main Street that featured representatives from Dartmouth classes from as far back as 1932. The Classes of 1955 and 1994 marched at the front of the parade.
Members of the Class of 1957 paraded in a large red fire truck, complete with siren.
The Dartmouth College Marching Band and local high school marching bands also participated in the parade.
The annual parade ended with the Class of 2000 marching through Hanover after their Freshman Sweep.
After the parade, the Glee Club sang traditional Dartmouth songs, like the alma matter and "A Son of a Gun for Beer," on the steps of Dartmouth Hall.
Director of Alumni Relations Nelson Armstrong, who presided over the ceremony, welcomed alumni back to campus and said he could "see the spirit running through the crowd" from the steps of Dartmouth Hall.
College President James Freedman said, as he stood "before one of the most historical buildings in higher education," he could see "what brings us together is loyalty to Dartmouth."
He called Dartmouth Night a "celebration of community and aspiration."
Will to Excel Campaign Chair Richard Page '54 spoke to the crowd about the College's recent triumphant end to its Will to Excel Campaign.
Earlier this month, the College ended its five-year capital campaign drive, which raised over $568 million, well above its original goal of $425 million.
Page said meeting this "daunting challenge" makes Dartmouth the "loyalty envy of higher education."
Nelson introduced the captains of all fall sports teams, and said, "If there are any Yale undergraduates out there, we know you aspire to be like these undergraduates, so the admissions office is accepting transfer applications."
Football Co-captain Brian Larsen '97 and Field Hockey Co-captain Kelly Hannigan '97 addressed the crowd.
Hannigan said both her father and grandfather had stood before the crowd on Dartmouth Night when they were football players at the College.
"Dartmouth Night is all about Dartmouth pride and the Big Green tradition," Hannigan said.
After the speeches concluded, the Marching Band and Glee Club joined up in the alma mater, as the crowd turned to the igniting bonfire to watch freshmen circle the burning tower.
