Hanover businesses are stocking shelves and rounding up employees in anticipation of the alumni and visitors who pour into town over Winter Carnival weekend.
As in past years, the Hanover Inn is completely booked, and it has been for 18 months, according to front office manager Kris Browne, who noted that alumni clubs accounted for many of the rooms.
"We're not sold out because of Winter Carnival, we're sold out because of a club officers event," Browne said.
Browne added that she also expects the Inn's restaurants to do well.
Molly's Restaurant and Bar should also see a high turnout this weekend, said general manager Thomas Curtis.
"We're just always packed, but Winter Carnival is a significant contribution," Curtis said. "We kind of brace for Carnival. I call it a drink-fest."
Curtis said that with the addition of Friday and Saturday night musical performances this year, the restaurant has been a non-stop party on weekends.
He expects both students and alumni to dine at Molly's during Winter Carnival.
"Whenever there's a big weekend we're apt to see alums. Winter Carnival just brings even more people than usual," he said.
Mia Vogt, the owner of Bella, said she expects many recent alumni to shop at the store this weekend.
"A lot of [business] is recent alums, but sometimes we'll get alums who weren't here when we were -- they're still in our customer base," she said. "Definitely, it's the best weekend in February for sales by far."
Vogt attributes her store's expected success to the sheer number of people around Hanover throughout the weekend.
The Dartmouth Co-op, which offers shot glasses and t-shirts printed with a Winter Carnival 2006 logo, is also preparing for a large turnout.
"It's not like graduation weekend, but the whole town is more upbeat. There are definitely more sales," store manager Joel Strycharz said.
Strycharz noted that there will be an increased staff and stock presence, along with "a little faster pace."
Stinson's Village Store will have an important role this weekend as a supplier of alcohol and snacks. It also sets up a barbecue on the frozen Occom Pond for a Winter Carnival skating event.
"We do a big barbecue and get to see all of our customers at once. It's more fun when we can talk to them all together," said head caterer Tom Davidson at Stinson's. Davidson added jokingly that he probably wouldn't want to be on the ice in light of recent warm weather.
Davidson also discussed an expected increase in alcohol sales for the weekend.
"Oh, we're stocking up. Beer-wise, Winter Carnival is one of the top six weekends of the year," he said. "There are a lot of parties, so we do well with alcohol sales."
Davidson noted that champagne is also a big seller around this time of year, but attributed that more to the Superbowl than to Winter Carnival.
Alumni occasionally have different tastes in beer than the regular Dartmouth crowd, Davidson observed.
"I had a guy come in who was an alum, and said 'I need a rack of beast.' The alums used to drink Pabst Blue Ribbon in 20-ounce cans before Keystone Light [became popular]." After Davidson informed the man that Stinson's no longer carries them, the alum "got mad, and asked if [Davidson] was from the Twilight Zone."
