Businesses expect increased sales

Tracy Wang / The Dartmouth Staff Hanover businesses anticipate a spike in sales and visitors during the College's Homecoming celebrations, according to local store, hotel and restaurant owners. Homecoming is one of the College's busiest weekends of the year, Dirt Cowboy Cafe owner Tom Guerra said. "There's [Commencement], number one, and then there's Homecoming, number two," Guerra said. Guerra said that sales stay relatively constant during the course of Homecoming each year, and Dirt Cowboy's 19-year history makes it well-equipped to handle an influx of students and visitors. The cafe will increase its supply of hot cider and chocolate milk and place extra staff on the floor to cover the increase in customers, according to Guerra.

Alumni reflect on Homecoming

Courtesy of Rauner Library / The Dartmouth Staff Whether it's the bonfire, the football game or some unique form of celebration, most College alumni have fond memories of Homecoming weekend. The bonfire has always been a highlight of the weekend, according to Peter Prims '77. "The one thing that always stands out for me is the bonfire," Prims said.

Over 150 freshmen volunteer to participate in bonfire build

Tracy Wang / The Dartmouth Staff This year's Homecoming bonfire organizers plan to stay ahead of schedule, improve sustainability and more effectively construct the bonfire itself, according to bonfire committee build co-chairs James Verhagen '16 and Logan Briggs '16. Verhagen, Briggs and bonfire committee co-chairs Amanda Winch '16 and Jose Rodarte-Canales '16 have met every Thursday in October with officials, including Collis Center for Student Involvement advisors Eric Ramsey and Juliann Coombs, Hanover Police and Safety and Security representatives and Greek Letter Organizations and Society Director Wes Schaub, according to Winch. During the meetings, the group determined the design for the official T-shirts, discussed ways to create a welcoming bonfire environment and coordinated building volunteers, cluster parties, the run around the bonfire and the "freshman sweep," in which freshmen pick each other up from different residential clusters and parade to the Green as a class, the chairs said. First-year volunteers signed up to construct the bonfire on Oct.

Students engage in illegal activities

Students attempt to create a more positive Homecoming

Maggie Rowland / The Dartmouth Senior Staff Several student groups are spearheading new initiatives to cultivate a more positive bonfire experience for freshmen in response to increased discussions of hazing on campus.

Editors' Note

/ The Dartmouth Rebecca Xu / The Dartmouth Staff The leaves have changed color, your midterms are over (for the next two days) and old people you've never seen before are wandering around campus decked out in Dartmouth gear.

We Didn't Start the Fire

Should the Homecoming bonfire be considered hazing?