Family Weekend Schedule

Kenyon families are invited to join us for a weekend full of festivities on the Hill from Friday, Oct. 16 - Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026.

Confirmed Family Weekend events are below. Additional events will be added to the schedule as they are finalized. Please contact Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Events Emily Earnest with questions. Information will also be available at the registration center located at the Alumni and Parent Welcome Center, 101 Scott Lane. Please note that many buildings and activities are available daily.

---

Thursday, Oct. 15

8 p.m. “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare

Kenyon College Dance, Drama & Cinema Club (KCDC) presents a production of “The Tempest.” Seating is first come, first served. View more information. Bolton Theater

Friday, Oct. 16

8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Registration Center Open

Stop by to receive your name badge, parking pass and additional information about the weekend, including information about our event app. Alumni and Parent Welcome Center, 101 Scott Lane

8:40 a.m. - 4 p.m. Open Classrooms

A list of open classrooms will be shared here prior to Family Weekend.

10 a.m. - Noon Drop-in Watercolor Painting for Adults

This event is for ages 14+. The Annex, 12 E. Gambier Street, Mount Vernon

2 - 3 p.m. Alumni Porch Party

Join fellow alumni and their families for a reception on the front porch of the Advancement Division office. 101 Chase Ave.

3 - 4 p.m. The Future of Public Service and Bipartisanship in Challenging Times

Join the Center for the Study of American Democracy for a conversation about the challenges of policy making in today's polarized Senate with Joseph Zogby P’30, staff director & chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and Zac McGee, assistant professor of political science. Archon Auditorium, lower level of Oden Hall

4:15 - 6 p.m. Summer Research Poster Session

Scholars from Kenyon’s summer research programs and other students will present their research and creative work. Toan Track, Lowry Center

4:15 - 5:30 p.m. Family Weekend Resource Fair

Members of Kenyon’s staff will be present to meet parents and families to share how their offices work with students and answer questions. Parent Giving & Engagement, First-Year Experience, Academic Advising, Center for Global Engagement (off-campus study), BFEC & the Kenyon Farm, Community Partnerships, Financial Aid, Philander Chase Conservancy & Kokosing Nature Preserve, and Cox Health, Counseling & Health Promotion Center will be represented at this event. Toan Track, Lowry Center

4:30 Women’s Field Hockey vs. Sewanee

Benson Bowl

8 p.m. “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare

Kenyon College Dance, Drama & Cinema Club (KCDC) presents a production of “The Tempest.” Seating is first come, first served. View more information. Bolton Theater

Saturday, Oct. 17

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Registration Center Open

Stop by to receive your name badge, parking pass and additional information about the weekend, including information about our event app. Alumni and Parent Welcome Center, 101 Scott Lane

10 - 10:45 a.m. Session on What to Expect Next in Your Student’s Kenyon Journey

(As well as tips for how to help your student connect to campus and excel academically!) Learn about what comes next in your student's college journey — from navigating finals, to their first extended time off over the winter break. We will also provide tips for how to help your student continue to connect to campus and resources to help them excel in the classroom. After the brief presentation, Director of First Year Experience Don Miller and Dean of Students Brian Janssen will be available for informal conversations and questions. Alumni Dining Room, Peirce Hall

10 - 11:30 a.m West African Drumming

West African Drumming Class with Ibrahim "Baba" Saani is for people of all ages. Baba Saani is a Kenyon Affiliated Scholar in Music, specializing in percussion from the West African coast. No experience required, and all percussion instruments are provided. The Annex, 12 E. Gambier Street, Mount Vernon

10 - 11:30 a.m. Grab Your Boots & Bring Your Kin: Line Dancing with the Dance Program

Kick off Family Weekend with some high-energy fun hosted by the Department of Dance, Drama and Film! Whether you are a seasoned boot-scootin' pro or have two left feet, this student-led workshop will have you and your family stepping, stomping and spinning in no time. We will teach you simple, classic patterns set to a mix of country favorites and modern hits, no partner or experience required. Wear casual clothes and comfortable shoes. (Boots optional, but highly encouraged!) Come ready to laugh, move and kick up your heels together! Our room capacity is 40, so all spots will be first-come, first-served. Bolton Dance Studio

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Inside The Gund: Gallery Tours with Curatorial Staff and Students

Discover The Gund as an active classroom with exhibition tours led by The Gund's education department, plus welcome talks from Annex staff and student associates. Experience a class visit firsthand in a curricular demonstration exploring the work of an Indigenous women's weaving collective in northern Argentina, led by a Gund educator and Kenyon faculty member. The Gund

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. A Reading and Conversation with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Mitchell S. Jackson

Please join The Kenyon Review for a reading with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and journalist Mitchell S. Jackson. A Q&A with the audience will follow and books will be available for purchase and signing. Brandi Recital Hall, Storer Hall

11 a.m. - 12 p.m. In Memoriam: A Walking Tour of Kenyon’s Latin and Greek Inscriptions

What can Kenyon’s Latin and Greek inscriptions tell us about the College’s more than two-hundred-year history? Join Professor of Classics Adam Serfass for a one-hour walking tour in which he will tell the tales of these fascinating texts from the past that seek to speak to us in the present. Meet at the Middle Path Gates

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Drawing for Kids with Sara Keith

Sara Keith is a faculty member of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University and has led drawing classes for The Annex since 2023. No experience required, all materials are provided. This event is for ages 5-13. The Annex, 12 E. Gambier Street, Mount Vernon

12 p.m. Women’s Swim & Dive vs. University of Indianapolis

James A. Steen Aquatic Center, Lowry Center

12 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. Wittenberg University

Senior Day. Mavec Field

12 - 4 p.m. Fall Harvest Festival

Come to the Brown Family Environmental Center for our annual Fall Harvest Festival!
This free family event includes horse-drawn hayrides, live farm animals, live music, food trucks, pumpkin decorating, a campfire, children’s activities and more! Brown Family Environmental Center

1 p.m. Kenyon Football vs. Washington University

McBride Field

1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Alternative Processes in Photography

Alternative Processes in Photography with Leslie Norman is for participants ages 10 years old and up. Professional Photographer Leslie Norman leads this class using primarily black and white film, as well as antique photographic processes such as cyanotype, chemigram and other techniques that do not require a camera. No experience is required and all materials are provided. The Annex, 12 E. Gambier Street, Mount Vernon

2 p.m. Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Kenyon Jazz Ensemble Family Weekend Joint Concert

Under the direction of Professor of Music Dane Heuchemer and Professor of Music Ted Buehrer. Rosse Hall

3 p.m. Kenyon Men’s Soccer vs. University of Mount Union

Mavec Field

5 - 7 p.m. Campfire & Pumpkin Patch at the Kenyon Farm

C'mon on down to the Kenyon Farm for tours, marshmallow roasting at the campfire and the pumpkin harvest. Be sure to pick your own pumpkin and take it home. 20245 Zion Road, Gambier

8 p.m. “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare

Kenyon College Dance, Drama & Cinema Club (KCDC) presents a production of “The Tempest.” Seating is first come, first served. View more information. Bolton Theater

Sunday, Oct. 18

10:30 a.m. Harcourt Parish Services

Church of the Holy Spirit, 102 College Park St.

12 p.m. Women’s Field Hockey vs. DePauw University

Benson Bowl