Family Weekend

Held each fall, Family Weekend gives friends and families a chance to get a taste of life on campus and experience all that the Five College area has to offer. Take a campus tour, have tea with one of the deans, watch a game on the athletic fields or visit the Smith College Museum of Art. There are also plenty of opportunities to meander—discover the Botanic Garden, admire the surrounding valley from the Skyline Terrace in Neilson Library, peruse downtown Northampton’s shops, and simply enjoy time together with your student.

Join us October 25–27, 2024

The schedule provided here is from the most recent Family Weekend in fall 2023. It remains here to provide parents and families a rough guide to what this event looks like at Smith. Not all events represented here will happen in 2024, and certainly actual performances will vary.

The 2024 schedule of events will be available in early October.

Family Weekend Schedule

Friday, October 13

8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Classes Open to Visitors
Various Locations—List available at Hospitality Suite, Campus Center, Room 103/104

Attend one of your student’s favorite classes or any other open class. A complete listing of open classes will be available at the Hospitality Suite. Check the listing; some classes are not open because of limited seating, a guest speaker, a quiz, or a similar situation.

9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Family Weekend Hospitality Suite
Campus Center, Room 103/104

Refreshments will be available. Receive information about the schedule, see a list of open classes, and find out more about the weekend, Smith, or the local area.

11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Official Smith Ring Sales
Campus Center, Main Level, Table 1

The Smith ring, designed by students, is a symbol of the continuous link with classmates, friends, and the college. The ring also evokes special and shared memories of Smith days. Sponsored by Smith’s Alumnae Association, the ring is reserved exclusively for sophomores, juniors, seniors, and Ada Comstock Scholars in good standing. The design remains unchanged—a tangible connection to the past and the future.

Noon–1 p.m.
Lunch

Parents and families can have lunch off campus or by ordering lunch from our Campus Center Café through GrubHub. Instructions for ordering will be available at the Campus Center Café.

12:10–1 p.m.
Soup, Salad, and Soul
Helen Hills Hills Chapel, Bodman Lounge

Come get cozy and enjoy a hot, delicious vegetarian soup made by awesome student cooks while taking part in reflective, student-led discussions on spirituality and life! Students of all religious, spiritual, and nonreligious/nonspiritual backgrounds are welcome. Families are also welcome. For details on food and other general accessibility questions, email aostow@smith.edu or mcantwel@smith.edu.

12:30–2:30 p.m.
Jummah
Meet at Helen Hills Hills Chapel

All are welcome to attend Hampshire Mosque in Hadley for Jummah. Meet in front of the Helen Hills Hills Chapel at 12:25 p.m. The van will leave by 12:30 p.m. and return to campus no later than 2:30 p.m. Bring a prayer rug and complete your ablution beforehand. We have extra prayer rugs if you need one. To RSVP, email crsl@smith.edu.

Please note: Families must ride separately from the college van.

1:30–2:30 p.m.
Supporting and Advocating for Your Student
Hillyer Hall, Brown Fine Arts Center

Hannah Durrant, the director of residence life, will lead a discussion on how to support your student when they are having a difficult time. It might be a roommate issue, not feeling connected on campus, or feeling overwhelmed by deadlines. Hannah will share strategies for how best to support your student and answer questions from families.

2–3 p.m.
A Tour of Smith’s Notable Trees
Meet at Lanning Fountain, near Lyman Plant House & Conservatory

Smith’s diverse arboretum collections include a number of heritage trees that have been cherished by generations of Smith students. Take a tour with the botanic garden’s landscape curator to explore some of these highlights and discuss the inherent value of trees and the critical questions we face as we aim to build high-impact conservation collections for the 21st century. Limited to the first 80 attendees.

2–3 p.m.
Orientation “Tea Brief”
Campus Center, Room 103/104

What was your first-year student up to for those first few whirlwind days on campus? Come by the Hospitality Suite to see for yourself! View a presentation of our 2023 orientation events and create your own fall-themed tea bags to use during afternoon tea. The head orientation leaders will be there to chat while you take part in one of the favorite activities offered during orientation

3–4 p.m. Campus Life Meet & Greet
Chapin Lawn Tent

Smith’s campus life partners would love to meet you. Please join us for some light refreshments and ask any questions you might have about life on campus.

4–5 p.m.
Afternoon Tea in Houses
Various Locations

Families are welcome to join afternoon tea with their students in the student’s house.

4–8 p.m.
Second Fridays: Art and Multiples
Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA)

Celebrate the return of Second Fridays at the SCMA! Explore the special exhibition Sum of Its Parts: Multi-Panel Works on Paper from the Collection from multiple perspectives. Try your hand at printmaking and make your own multipart artwork to take home.

4–7 p.m.–Art making for all ages, inspired by works on view

6–8 p.m.–Gallery talk featuring staff, students, and a local artist, as well as themed explorations of the galleries

5–7 p.m.
Pioneer Valley Eats
Off Campus

Families are encouraged to dine locally. Stop by our Hospitality Suite to pick up a list of delicious local restaurants to choose from.

5:30–7:30 p.m.
Family Shabbat Services and Dinner
Helen Hills Hills Chapel Sanctuary

The Smith College Jewish community offers a student-led Kabbalat Shabbat. At 5:30 p.m., students gather for lighting candles and singing to welcome in Shabbat. At 6:30 p.m., enjoy a gourmet vegetarian dinner. All are invited to Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner, so stop by!

7–9 p.m.
Trivia Night 2: The Return of Trivia Night
Wright Hall, Weinstein Auditorium

Q: Who is invited to put their vast stores of trivial autumnal knowledge to the test? A: You!

Families and students are welcome to the first Family Weekend trivia night event. Hosted by the head orientation leaders, who created orientation’s Trivia Night, this event will feature lots of fall-themed questions, many of which will require some family expertise.

8:30–9:30 p.m.
Stargazing
McConnell Hall Roof

The astronomy department will hold a stargazing open house on the McConnell roof. Come see Saturn, Jupiter, galaxies, nebulae, stars, and star clusters. All are welcome! Please dress warmly. Event will be canceled in the event of heavy cloud cover. For further information or to check on weather conditions, email Meg Thacher, mthacher@smith.edu.

Friday Open Hours

Various Times
Open Libraries
Hillyer Art Library, Josten Library, and Neilson Library

See the table at the end of this schedule for a list of all library open hours.

The Smith College Libraries welcome families to visit during our hours of operation. Self-guided tour booklets are available for the Neilson Library, which was redesigned by Maya Lin with input from the Smith community and is now a hub for individual, collaborative, and experimental scholarship. Also visit the Hillyer Art Library in the Brown Fine Arts Center and the Josten Performing Arts Library in Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts.

10 a.m.–noon
Office for Equity & Inclusion (OEI) Open Hours
College Hall 307

Visit the OEI to meet our staff and learn about our various programs, resources, and plans for promoting belonging on campus.

11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Open Museum
Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA)

The SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum, contributing meaningfully to Smith College’s mission to educate women of promise for lives of distinction and purpose. Admission is free during Family Weekend.

2–2:30 p.m.
Lazarus Center for Career Development Family Weekend Open House
Drew Hall (84 Elm Street)

Meet members of the Lazarus Center’s staff and find out how we support students during and after their time at Smith. Students from all class years and their family members are welcome.

2–3 p.m.
Meet & Greet with the Class Deans Office
College Hall 101

Stop by for a cup of cider and a sweet treat while meeting the class deans and office staff.

2:30–4 p.m.
Lewis Global Studies Center Family Weekend Open House
Wright Hall 127

Visit the heart of the global community and meet the staff who support international students, study abroad, and global learning at Smith.exclusively for sophomores, juniors, seniors, and Ada Comstock Scholars in good standing. The design remains unchanged—a tangible connection to the past and the future.

Saturday, October 14

9–9:45 a.m.
President’s Welcome
Sage Hall, Sweeney Concert Hall

Join Smith College President Sarah Willie-LeBreton to hear about what is going on at Smith and what she is excited about in the coming year.

9:45–10:30 a.m.
Welcome Reception
Conference Center

Stop by after the President’s Welcome address for some refreshments and a chance to get to know other parents and families.

9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Family Weekend Hospitality Suite
Campus Center, Room 103/104

Check in and receive information about the schedule; ask questions about the weekend, Smith, or the local area.

9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Official Smith Ring Sales
Campus Center, Main Level, Table 1

10–11:30 a.m.
Mill River Walk
Meet at Paradise Pond Boathouse

Join us for a pleasant hike along the trails surrounding campus. No preregistration required. Meet at the Boathouse.

10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability (CEEDS) Annual Apple Cider Pressing
Chapin House Loading Dock

Join staff and students from CEEDS to experience a family-friendly and tasty New England tradition. Help us press fresh, locally grown apples into cider and then have a cup together with a Hadley-made cider donut. We’ll also have heirloom apple tasting to help give a sense of the amazing diversity and history of this fascinating fruit.

10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Planting Bulbs in Capen Garden
Conway Gazebo, Capen Garden

Drop by to help with this annual Smith tradition, planting upward of 2,000 tulips in the beds surrounding the Jill Ker Conway Gazebo in Capen Garden. Tools, gloves, cider, and donuts will be on hand!

11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Hell’s Belles Plant Sale Fundraiser
Campus Center, Main Level, Table 2

The Smith College fencing team (Hell’s Belles Fencing) will be selling homegrown spider plants and succulents! We will have a variety of sizes and a myriad of options to choose from. This fundraiser will help cover the costs of the Smith fencing team, including raising funds for our national championship in April!

11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Pioneer Valley Mini Maker Faire
Race Street, Holyoke, MA 01040

Join us at this year’s Pioneer Valley Mini Maker Faire to see the work of Smith College’s own Design Thinking Initiative! Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. It is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies,experiments, and projects. They call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Artisans, roboticists, culinary experts, and entrepreneurs will be celebrated as they share their craft with the public. Creative play, interactivity, and participatory experiences are at the center of the Maker Faire. The work of women, trans, and gender-nonconforming makers will be highlighted, inspiring a new generation to pursue technology and the arts. For more information, visit pioneervalley.makerfaire.com.

Note: Families will need to provide their own transportation to this event.

11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Latin American Students’ Organization (LASO) Family Weekend
Davis Center, Mwangi Cultural Center

LASO will provide a space of reception and reunion for its members and their families who are visiting campus during Family Weekend. The afternoon will include food, activities, games, and music for LASO families to get to know the LASO community their students are a part of.

Noon–1 p.m.
Lunch

Parents and families can have lunch off campus or by ordering lunch from our Campus Center Café through GrubHub. Instructions for ordering will be available at the Campus Center Café.

Noon–2 p.m.
Fall Fest
Chapin Lawn Tent

Stop by Chapin lawn to join the Office of Student Engagement for crafting and a live music performance by the local band Fever. Rain location is the lower level of the Campus Center. All are welcome.

Noon–2 p.m. The Madeleine Yearbook Sale
Campus Center, Main Level, Table 3 (under stairs)

The Smith College yearbook is a complete collection of memories from all aspects of the very exciting and colorful lives of Smithies in Northampton. The staff collects information and photos from the Smith community and compiles everything into the book to reflect the year as a whole.

The Madeleine yearbook staff will be selling past yearbooks. Stop by to purchase one!

1 p.m.
Soccer: Smith vs. Babson
Soccer Field

Come watch the soccer team in action!

4–6 p.m.
Montage: Happy/Sad
John M. Greene Hall

The Smith College Department of Music presents Montage: Happy/Sad for Family Weekend. Enjoy favorite happy and sad songs featuring Glee Club, Chamber Singers, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Wailing Banshees, Jazz Ensemble, Handbell Choir, Groove, the Smiffenpoofs, the Smithereens, the Noteables, and the Vibes. Free and open to the public.

5–7 p.m.
Pioneer Valley Eats
Off Campus Families are encouraged to dine locally. Stop by our Hospitality Suite to pick up a list of delicious local restaurants to choose from.

7–9 p.m.
Mehndi Night
Davis Ballroom

Come join us for a delightful evening filled with music, delicious food, beautiful mehndi (henna), and joyous festivities hosted by the South Asian Organization of Smith College (EKTA). Your entrance fee includes the opportunity to have mehndi applied to one hand at the event. We can’t wait to have you with us! See EKTA’s instagram @smith_ekta or visit the Hospitality Suite for information on purchasing tickets.

9–11 p.m.
Smith 2 Do
Campus Center, Room 203

Join the Office of Student Engagement for our weekly late-night Smith 2 Do program. Students are encouraged to invite their families to paint a plant pot. Stop by and have fun crafting!

Saturday Open Hours

Various Times
Open Libraries
Hillyer Art Library, Josten Library, and Neilson Library

See the table at the end of this schedule for a list of all library open hours.

11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Open Museum
Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA)

Sunday, October 15

9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Family Weekend Brunch
College Dining Rooms

Enjoy a Sunday brunch with students in the following open dining halls as guests of the college:

Tyler, Gillett, Chase, Dawes, Lamont*, Cutter, King, & Emerson

*Lamont Dining Hall is allergen-free; Dawes Dining Hall is gluten-free.

Vegan options are available in all houses.

9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Official Smith Ring Sales
Campus Center, Main Level, Table 1

11 a.m.–noon
Smith Improv Komedy Organization of Smith (SIKOS) Comedy Show: Family Weekend Edition
Campus Center, Carroll Room

Come to see the SIKOS for lots of laughs and family fun! No tickets necessary.

11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Hell’s Belles Plant Sale Fundraiser
Campus Center, Main Level, Table 2

Noon–1 p.m.
Lunch

Parents and families can have lunch off campus or by ordering lunch from our Campus Center Café through GrubHub. Instructions for ordering will be available at the Campus Center Café.

1–4 p.m.
Black Students’ Alliance (BSA) Annual Soul Food Lunchbox
Davis Ballroom

You’re cordially invited to the Smith College BSA’s Soul Food Lunchbox—an event that promises not only a delicious feast but also a heartwarming sense of community.

This is more than a meal; it’s a tribute to our roots and a chance to connect with fellow Black families. Come together with us to share stories, laughter, and the bonds that make our community so special. Your presence will only enhance the vibrant tapestry of our gathering. In order for our organization to be as prepared as possible for this event, kindly RSVP to this form by October 4. Please email any questions to the BSA, bsa@smith.edu.

Let’s celebrate the flavors of our culture and the unity of our community at the Soul Food Lunchbox. We eagerly anticipate sharing this memorable experience with you! While all members of the Smith community are welcome, this event is intended for black students and their families.

3–4 p.m.
Catholic Mass
Helen Hills Hills Chapel Sanctuary

All are welcome to the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life Catholic Mass with Fr. Valentine and Smith’s Newman Catholic Club. Light refreshments will be served in Bodman Lounge following Mass.

Sunday Open Hours

Various Times
Open Libraries
Hillyer Art Library, Josten Library, and Neilson Library

See the table at the end of this schedule for a list of all library open hours.

11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Open Museum
Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA)

Library Name	Friday, October 13	Saturday, October 14	Sunday, October 15
Neilson Library	7:30 a.m.–6 p.m.	10 a.m.–6 p.m.	10 a.m.–8 p.m.
Hillyer Art Library	9 a.m–9 p.m.	10 a.m.–6 p.m.	noon–11 p.m.
Josten Performing Arts Library	9 a.m.–5 p.m.	10 a.m.–6 p.m.	noon–6 p.m.
Special Collections Reading Room	10 a.m.–5 p.m.	Closed	Closed

Family Weekend

From our annual Fall Fest to social events and a reception with the president, families can enjoy a taste of life at Smith College. Come see all that the campus and Northampton have to offer.