By The Dartmouth Staff
Green Key known almost exclusively for the numerous parties hosted over the weekend lacks the family- and community-oriented events of other big weekends, but will feature several non-party events for students, including a barbecue and Programming Board's first Green Key Carnival. Due to budget concerns, the Green Key Society will not host the Green Key Ball this year, according to Green Key Society Vice President Molly Khalil '12.
Programming Board will host its first Green Key Carnival on Saturday afternoon in Haldeman Court, according to Programming Board Concert Director Amaris Galea-Orbe '11. The carnival will feature a free barbecue, a cotton candy booth, face painting, a photo booth and music, according to Galea-Orbe. Programming Board is expecting about 500 people to be at the Carnival at any given time, she said.
"We just want this to be open and safe for everyone," Galea-Orbe said.
The traditional Green Key Ball, formerly a highlight of Green Key weekend, was last held in 1967 before being reinstated in 2009. The ball was replaced last year by the Green Key Bash, but the Green Key Society does not plan to hold any events this year.
"This year, our resources are spread too thin and we won't be able to make one happen," Khalil said, mentioning that the Society has not been able to hold the ball consistently for the past few years.
Before its 42-year hiatus, the ball featured live music and the opportunity for College men to invite dates from nearby women's colleges. The 2009 ball was a "huge success," with between 300 and 400 students attending, former Green Key Society President Brendan McVeigh '10 previously told The Dartmouth.
Last year's bash was held on the Gold Coast lawn and included Stinson's barbecue, a DJ and a capella performances, The Dartmouth previously reported.
The Green Key Society is an honorary service society with 44 members from the junior class that help organize First-Year Orientation, Homecoming weekend, Commencement, performances and events throughout the year, The Dartmouth previously reported.
Collis Governing Board continued its tradition of hosting a spring barbecue Thursday on Collis porch, according to Collis Governing Board Chair Tim Yang '13. In a change from recent years, Collis Governing Board ordered a higher quality cut of meat.
In addition to hosting a barbecue, Collis Governing Board will be offering free massages to students in Fuel on Saturday, according to Yang.
"Massage is a good way to relax during Green Key," Yang said, explaining that the activity would help students "wind down" after weeks of exams.
Unlike Homecoming and Winter Carnival, Green Key does not offer local families and community members the opportunity to participate in the big weekend's festivities. Local parents, however, said they see no need for the College to tailor events to non-students.
"I see [Green Key] as a student-driven event," said Julia Viazmenski, a lecturer in Italian at the College and the mother of four- and eight-year-old children. "I suppose it could build a greater connection between Dartmouth families and Dartmouth students, but I don't think it's essential."
While the Homecoming schedule features the bonfire and numerous sports games, Green Key does not have similar events with community appeal, according to community members interviewed. Winter Carnival's Occom Pond Party organized by the Hanover Parks Department for the last 14 years draws a large number of families for the College's big weekend in the winter.
"We've gone most years to the [Occom] Pond Party, which is fun, [and] the kids like that," said Kristin O'Rourke, assistant dean for scholarship advising and the mother of four year-old twin daughters and a seven year-old son. "Winter Carnival definitely stands out in my mind because there's the sculpture on the Green which the kids love, and the sculptures at the pond."
The Hanover Parks Department has no plans to hold family-oriented events over Green Key weekend, Bill Young, Occom Pond Party captain said.
"I think the town and the College were somewhat independently doing winter events," he said. "So [the Occom Pond Party] just was natural. There's less of a natural connection for Green Key or Homecoming for the town to do things. Townspeople go to the bonfire, the ball games and athletic events, and I don't know what natural event would happen in town for Homecoming or Green Key."
Between 2,000 and 3,000 community members, and Dartmouth students attend the Occom Pond Party each year, according to Young.
"It's clearly a strong community family event [and] children are in great abundance," he said. "Most of them are local, but I know people who tell me that they have friends who come up from Boston specifically for [Winter Carnival] because it's a good party in town for families."
Both Viazmenski and O'Rourke said they have taken their children to the Homecoming bonfire on the Green, although this activity is not as family-friendly as the Pond Party because of its late start.
"I found it difficult to explain to the kids, [but] they found it very interesting," Viazmenski said. "I would say they were mesmerized."
Both parents said that these events appear to attract many local families.
"We do see a lot of people that we know a lot of people who work at Dartmouth who have kids like us or other people who live in Hanover and come to activities," O'Rourke said.
The Dartmouth Outing Club will not host an event this year for Green Key, according to DOC President Rob Collier '13. He cited timing as an obstacle for hosting a Green Key event, because the DOC hosted its Spring Weekend of trips and other outdoor activities last weekend.
"We all put a lot of time and effort into making Spring Weekend successful, and trying to organize a big event for the weekend after it is very difficult to build enthusiasm for," he said.
The Hood Museum will also not host events for Green Key because the museum "traditionally doesn't do anything for Green Key," Sharon Reed, Hood Museum Events Coordinator, said.
