Believe it or not, there is more to Dartmouth Homecoming than fraternity parties and football.
On Halloween night, as ghosts and goblins emerge for their night of haunting, Dartmouth's hallowed souls will also emerge for the 102nd annual Dartmouth Night celebration.
Homecoming festivities begin at 7:15 with the Freshman Sweep. The sweep will begin with the freshmen in the River Cluster, Director of Student Activities Mark Hoffman said.
The freshmen in the River will be led Pied Piper-style by the notes of a bagpipe and "sweep" through the campus. At each dorm cluster, the horde will grow in numbers and in decibel level as rallying freshmen join the ranks of their classmates, Hoffman said.
The Class of 2001 ends their Sweep near Memorial Field, the beginning of the Torchlight Parade, where alumni will join the freshmen in their march up Main Street.
About 1,000 alumni are expected to participate in the Torchlight Parade, said Associate Director of Alumni Relations David Orr. This year, Ed Emerson of the Class of 1926 will have the distinguished honor of riding at the head of the parade, Orr said.
As one of the time-honored traditions of Homecoming, the parade represents the College from past to present. It is led by members of the oldest Dartmouth Class returning to alma mater soil, and the '01s, as the youngest Dartmouth students, bring up the rear of the parade as it marches through the streets of Hanover.
Two other classes will also receive special attention at the parade. Each year, Alumni Relations recognizes two classes, one beyond their 25th reunion and one younger than their 25th, for their achievements over the previous year.
The Class of 1944 and the Class of 1980 were both recognized last year as Classes of the Year. The presidents of these two classes will ride in convertibles near the start of the parade.
After winding through the town, the parade route will end at Dartmouth Hall. Alumni and other distinguished visitors to the College will give speeches from the steps of Dartmouth Hall.
Then the ceremony ends and "the excitement begins," said Hoffman.
Between 8,000 and 10,000 students, alumni and residents are expected to congregate for the climax of the festivities, the bonfire.
"The bonfire is certainly one of the focal points," said Holly Sateia, Dean of Student Life.
Following tradition, freshmen will be running around the bonfire tonight, cheered on by the entire College community.
After the bonfire, a black light party called "Skeletons in the Closet" will be held at Collis Commonground. No costumes are required, but in keeping with the Halloween theme of the event, Nancy Fopiano '98, Co-Chair of the Programming Board, boasted there will be "free body paint for all."
Free glow sticks and T-shirts will be available as well, according to Fopiano. Co-sponsored by the Afro-American Society, the black light party will feature music from DJ Jasson Walker and a performance by Sheba.
