Homecoming kickoff

The College Alumni Programs office of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) invites alumni and their families to join classmates and friends this weekend (Oct. 23-24) for the kickoff of the Harvard College Homecoming celebration. The weekend will feature a full lineup of family-friendly activities, including museum and library exhibitions, athletic contests, concerts, and an open-air screening of the movie classic “Love Story,” in Harvard Yard.

“The campus will be alive with so many wonderful events this weekend,” said Courtney D. Shurtleff, the HAA’s director of College Alumni Programs, “and we want our alumni to experience as many of them as possible. The homecoming celebration is a way to reintroduce graduates of the College to the energy and spirit that make Harvard such a special place.”

Homecoming will offer Harvard College alumni exclusive opportunities to return to an undergraduate classroom, enjoy breakfast in their House, participate in a public interest career panel discussion, or join a customized campus tour — courtesy of the Crimson Key Society. The Harvard Crimson soccer, ice hockey, and field hockey teams will take the field this weekend, while the football team will continue to defend their back-to-back Ivy League titles as they battle the Princeton Tigers. Nearby, the Dillon Quad’s “Fan Zone” will feature children’s face painting, music, games, prizes, raffles, and an alumni barbecue.

Shurtleff noted that the uniqueness of the weekend has already drawn significant alumni interest. “Alumni and their families are coming home to Harvard. They want to soak up the atmosphere, see classmates — maybe enjoy a cup of hot apple cider. When else can you spread out a blanket, make s’mores at a fire pit, and watch ‘Love Story’ in the Yard?”

Registration for Harvard College Homecoming Weekend is $20 per person (tickets to three events must be purchased separately) For a complete listing of all homecoming events and activities, visit the HAA’s Homecoming page.

For more information, call the HAA at 617.495.5731 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).