Homecoming Weekend will surely see Bowdoin alumni mingling with current students.
In addition to the much-anticipated opening of the Walker Art Museum, there are six athletic home games occurring on Saturday.
There will be pep rally and bonfire on Friday to start things off.
The pep rally will include a decorate-a-chair contest.
According to Director of Athletics Jeffrey Ward, "The idea is that after they're judged, the chairs can just be thrown on the bonfire."
According to Ward, there will also be a Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony in honor of Bowdoin alumni and staff.
"We pick five or six people a year to induct," said Ward. "They are people who have had amazingly successful careers at Bowdoin."
However, Ward stresses that there is not always enough room to induct all the deserving.
"There's still an Olympic gold medalist we haven't done, for example," he said. Among the inductees this year are longtime coach Adam Walsh and Bob Butkus '66.
On Sunday, there will be a 5K run in honor of Phil Soule, a longtime coach at the College who passed away two years ago. According to Ward, everyone can join the Nordic ski team on this run, which is free for students.
Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols is sensitive to the fact that there will be large crowds throughout the entire weekend.
"Homecoming presents [security] challenges due to the influx of alumni, their families and other visitors," said Nichols. "Homecoming is a busy weekend, but things usually go remarkably well."
Entertainment Director at Jack Magee's Pub Alexandra Bassett '09 agreed.
"The number of people at the pub, as well as the alcohol consumption, would definitely go up?alumni will be around, and I'm sure they'd like to relive a few minutes from their time at Bowdoin," Bassett said.
Bassett said that in addition to weekly pub night on Thursday, there will be also be late-night DJ pub night until 3 a.m. on Saturday.
Racer X marks another huge entertainment highlight during Homecoming Weekend. The four-person '80s cover band, features Assistant Professor of English Aaron Kitch and Assistant Professor of Music Vin Shende.
"We're always excited to play for the students," said Kitch. "I've been getting e-mails from current and former students asking us to play 'Rio' and 'Sweet Dreams.'"
The band will be performing Friday night from 9 p.m. until midnight at Smith Union.
Bowdoin alumnus and former Bowdoin Student Government president DeRay Mckesson '07 is "certainly coming back" for Homecoming Weekend.
"When you're at Bowdoin you assume that the rest of the world is passionate about learning too and I have sadly realized that this is not the case," said Mckesson.
"I'm nervous and excited to see what the administration has done since my time as a student," he added. "Legitimate student leadership is, in many ways, the hallmark of the College, and I look forward to seeing its radiance when I arrive back on campus."
"I plan on visiting the field hockey games," said Mckesson. "Go U Bears!"