Green Key fosters sense of community, alumni say

Alumni returning to Hanover this weekend will slip easily into the familiar Green Key traditions of their own Dartmouth years outdoor parties, music and pong all of which can be enjoyed in the newly warm weather.

Safety and Security adds weekend patrol

Due to the high number of parties over Green Key weekend where both alcohol and underage students are often present Safety and Security will increase the number of patrolling officers this weekend, according to Harry Kinne, former director of Safety and Security and interim Associate Dean of the College.

Bash to replace Green Key Ball this year, organizers say

Although last year's Green Key weekend featured the return of the time-honored Green Key Ball following a 40-year hiatus, this year's Green Key will see a scaling back of the event to a more casual dance, according to Green Key Society president Fernando Rodriguez-Villa '11. The "Green Key Bash," which will be held on Friday evening on the Gold Coast lawn, will serve as "an interlude" between other festivities throughout the weekend, Rodriguez-Villa said. "It will be an alternative for people who aren't into the traditional schedule, while [also] appealing to people who do enjoy traditional Green Key events, but might have fun in a relaxed music, food and conversation event," Rodriguez-Villa said. The event will feature a DJ as well as a capella performances and Stinson's barbeque, according to Kimberly Waters '11, Green Key Society special programming and events committee chair. Last year, the society had reinstated its traditional Green Key Ball that had previously been held each year from 1929 to 1967, according to former Green Key Society president Brendan McVeigh '10. "In recent years, the society's role in the weekend has deteriorated," McVeigh said.

Letter to the Editor: Worth a Second Look

To the Editor: Mysterious as I find the claim from Charlie Clark '11 that the arts presented at Dartmouth are of no interest to the "cultural mainstream" ("Art for Our Sake," May 10), it is easier to understand his personal disinterest.

$4 Coffee 2010-05-14

Green Key Unlocked: What are students celebrating now?

Since 1899, Dartmouth's Spring term has featured an annual celebration known as Green Key, in which Dartmouth students spend more than three days relaxing outside and enjoying the weather, appreciating friends and carousing on fraternity lawns. But what exactly do Dartmouth students celebrate during Green Key?

Back Row 2010-05-14

Phreddie 2010-05-14

Alpha Phi Alpha, others perform at 19th step show

In what has become an integral part of every Green Key weekend over the past two decades, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host its 19th annual Green Key Step Show in Leede Arena on Saturday, according to Alpha Phi Alpha vice president John Albert '11.

Other spring festivals feature concerts, fairs

Dartmouth's unique Green Key traditions and festivities represent just one of the many ways in which schools around the country celebrate spring.

Hanover businesses to make profit, they say

The promise of warm weather and visiting alumni make Green Key weekend one of the most anticipated times of the year for local business owners, according to several members of the Hanover community interviewed by The Dartmouth. Some of the biggest benefactors of Green Key weekend are local restaurants, such as Molly's Restaurant & Bar and Everything But Anchovies. The eateries see a tremendous increase in sales during Green Key, largely due to the extra foot traffic that comes with the festivities, supervisors at the restaurants said. "We see a big increase in sales for Green Key, usually by about 30 percent," EBAs owner Maureen Bogosian said. Molly's general manager Ben Williams expressed a similar sentiment about the weekend, saying that "[Molly's] always sees a dramatic increase in sales." Several Hanover business owners attributed the increased traffic during Green Key to the influx of alumni and other visitors to the College, which creates a "higher volume of potential customers," Williams said. Jack Stinson, owner of Stinson's Village Store, said that much of his store's boosted sales come from alumni who have graduated from the College within the past five years. "A significant amount of our sales are attributed to [young alumni] coming up for the festival," Stinson said. The increased number of alumni returning this weekend provides an opportunity for the Dartmouth Co-op to display its new spring inventory and graduation items, according to store manager Paul Bouchard. "Green Key customers typically get the first pick at the new items before they sell out in June during graduation and alumni weekend," Bouchard said. In anticipation of the surge in sales this weekend, many local business owners said they are making special preparations to ensure they can accommodate the influx of visitors. "[Green Key] is definitely a more stuff, more food, all hands on deck type of weekend," Bogosian said. Stinson, whose store generates a large portion of its sales from beer and alcohol, said that he and his staff will be particularly vigilant about preventing the purchase of alcohol by underage customers this Green Key weekend.

Professors say courses unaffected by weekend

Since the Friday of Green Key weekend is not considered an official College holiday, the scheduling of class remains at individual professors' discretion.

Rec League Legends

Well before Bruiser and Fratz knelt before the Editorial Board and were knighted "The Legends," the two dreamed a dream that surpasses Floren face time and Billy Bob breakfasts: to become the foremost pong experts in the world (or at least the Hanover bubble). Many people think that the Legends met through a mutual childhood friend or on the lightweight crew team, but they do not know the real story. Ludlow who spent a year in Boston after his senior year of high school (extended summer vacation) made the trek to Hanover many times during his pre-fratriculation period and learned the ways of the Dartmouth pastime early and often.

Cycling takes fourth at Collegiate Cycling Championships

The Dartmouth cycling team concluded its season at the 2010 Collegiate Cycling National Championships last weekend in Madison, Wis.

Wait for a Date

Just one year ago, I remember eagerly anticipating Green Key weekend after hearing it described by many upperclassmen as the "most epic weekend of the year." Unfortunately, my actual experience taught me that the only difference between Green Key and any other weekend is the magnitude of people who go out, as well as the increased motivation to consume as much alcohol as possible.

Daily Debriefing

Despite the current economic downturn, admissions yields at highly selective universities appear to be similar or greater than yields in past years, according to The New York Times.

The Drunkest Girls at the Party

We know, you're shocked. The drunkest girls were asked to talk about a weekend that has nothing to do with anything besides blacking your face out to pregame nothing. Well, the two of us quickly realized that our memories involving this most holy weekend are scarce and that the most important detail is that this holiday means nothing.