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This past weekend marked the first Ivies weekend at the College following two years of pandemic-related restrictions. Students came together for two Bowdoin-sponsored events as part of the weekend: Harpswell Quad Day on Friday and a Main Quad celebration on Saturday.
Bowdoin students last celebrated Ivies, an annual spring weekend of partying and concerts, in April 2019. This past week, the College announced the return of Ivies after two years of cancellation due to Covid-19, albeit with some notable changes from what the weekend has looked like in past years.
Bowdoin’s annual Ivies party—a tradition spanning nearly 150 years—is anticipated to look dramatically different form this year according to multiple sources present at a planning meeting that took place Thursday with members of Bowdoin Student Government (BSG), The Entertainment Board, Senior Vice President and Dean for Student Affairs Janet Lohmann and Director of Student Activities Nate Hintze.
Although COVID-19 has prevented Bowdoin from holding Ivies weekend, several student bands have been working to ensure that students will be able to attend distanced, outdoor concerts as the semester comes to a close. The College’s outdoor concert series began on Saturday with a performance by student band Lady and the Tramps on the steps of Baxter House.
On March 19, during a virtual ‘town hall’ about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on the College, President Clayton Rose confirmed the cancellation of this year’s Ivies weekend. The news saddened members of the Bowdoin community, including those on the Entertainment Board (eBoard) who plan the annual spring concert.
The concert formerly known as Ivies (if we’re calling it Bowchella) has been announced. An email sent out to the entire student body—with the subject heading on the email as “No Bamba”—announced the lineup, with Lion Babe playing Thursday, April 25, and Jamila Woods and Mick Jenkins playing Saturday, April 27.
With a few exceptions, students celebrated this year’s Ivies Weekend responsibly, according to the Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols. There were multiple incidences throughout the weekend that required Bowdoin Security to intervene, but none involved the Brunswick Police Department (BPD).
Amid concern about increased Brunswick Police Department (BPD) activity, Ivies Weekend will proceed as normal, although Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols advises students to exercise caution and discretion during the weekend to avoid encounters with BPD officers.
Ah, yes. It is finally spring, when flowers begin to rise from the frozen earth and the temperature reaches a mildly comfortable 55 degrees at least once a week. But even more exciting than the return of life to the region is the arrival of Ivies weekend, when solo cups litter the quad and the music world’s best grace the stage of Farley Field House.
While Ivies officially kicked off with last night’s concert, planning began months ago. The Student Activities Office, Facilities Management and the Office of Safety and Security have been discussing Ivies for months—and staff will be working around the clock this weekend to make sure students have a safe and enjoyable experience.
The sun is shining and the tank is clean. Yes, it’s that time of year again—the long awaited Ivies week(end). Droves of students flood Salvo to update their mandatory Ivies uniforms: fanny packs, overalls, velvet track suit, jorts, obnoxiously bright neon… everything.
