Event Schedule

11 a.m.–5 p.m. | Visit the current exhibition at Law Warschaw Gallery
Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, first floor
MICKEY SMITH: Morphologies, curated by Heather Everhart
Macalester’s Law Warschaw Gallery is a vital program of the Art and Art History Department, hosting two curated and two student group exhibitions annually—the juried Spring Salon followed by the art major capstone presentation. The gallery is led by director and curator Heather Everhart and operated with collaborative engagement from Law Warschaw’s student gallery assistants. The gallery assistant is a pre-professional work-study position and critical to all aspects of the gallery’s work.

12–1:30 p.m. | Lunch & Friday (Jumu’ah) Prayers with Macalester Muslim Student Association
Weyerhaeuser Memorial Chapel, lower level
Members of the Muslim community and families are invited to gather for lunch, conversation, and Friday (Jumu’ah) prayer. Gathering in the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, (lower level of the chapel). Lunch at noon, followed by 1 p.m. prayers. The prayer room will remain open throughout the day.

1–2 p.m. | Sacred Belonging and Snacks
Center for Religious and Spiritual Life
Join Chaplain Sorrel and members of our Christian/Christian lineage community for a snack break to reflect on the subject of sacred belonging. We’ll gather outside the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life (weather permitting) to enjoy creation, do some liturgy together, and contemplate what it means to be in right relationship to each other. We’ll provide chairs for seating. Rain site the CRSL.

2–4 p.m. | Self-Guided Campus Tour
Campus maps are available at check in, or utilize our online guide.

2–4 p.m. | Highland Hunt
Around campus
During self-guided campus tour hours, join the Highland Hunt! Pick up your scavenger hunt stamp card at Mac Fest Check-In and follow the clues to find mini-figurines of Coo, our new highland cow mascot, all around campus. At each Coo, you’ll find a stamp for your card. Find all nine and turn in your completed card at Check-in to get a fun swag item (cards must be turned in before 2 p.m. Saturday to receive your gift).

2–6 p.m. | Mac Fest Check-In and Information
Lowe Dayton Commons, Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center
Check in for the Mac Fest weekend, pick up your name badge, and find information. On-site registration is available.

4–5:30 p.m. | Academic Summer Showcase
Fieldhouse, Leonard Center
Hear from students presenting the results of summer internships, research projects, and entrepreneurial endeavors they have undertaken in collaboration with faculty, staff, and community partners.

Registration appreciated but not required.

5–6 p.m. | Archives and Special Collections 150th Oral History Project
Davis Court, Markim Hall
Share your Mac memories and stories with the Macalester community via video recording as part of a special oral history project, celebrating the vivid histories, past and present, at Macalester. Reach out to College Archivist Ely Sheinfeld at [email protected] to participate or sign up here.

6–7:30 p.m. | Shabbat Services and Dinner with Macalester Jewish Organization
Center for Religious and Spiritual Life
Join the student-led Macalester Jewish Organization (MJO) for a songful Shabbat service followed by a casual and friendly Shabbat dinner. We’ll be upstairs in the Weyerhaeuser Chapel for the service and downstairs in the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life for dinner. Questions? Reach out to Rabbi Emma: [email protected].

6–9 p.m. | M Club Hall of Fame Banquet
Alexander G. Hill Ballroom, Kagin Commons
Join in the celebration of this year’s M Club Hall of Fame inductees: Vanessa Seljeskog (coach, administrator), Sarah C. Ellerton ʼ10 (water polo, swim & dive), Armin Heuberger ʼ99 (soccer), Grace Kathryn King ʼ09 (soccer), Sona Muzikarova ʼ09 (volleyball), and Leo Pearce ʼ91 (swim & dive). Registration required. Dinner cost: $35 per person. 

Community registration opens September 3. Registration closes Thursday, September 19. For questions or to modify your registration, contact the Alumni Office at [email protected] or at 651-696-6295.

7:30–8 p.m. | Theater Performance
James A. Williams Black Box Theater, Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center
Join us for an evening of theater as our talented students perform selections of six different plays by six different student playwrights through Macalester’s THDA Playwriting classes, curated by Birdie Keller ’25! Three different staged readings of these plays will be performed on Friday and Saturday during Mac Fest, so each performance will be different each night. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open fifteen minutes before the performance begins.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

7–10 p.m. | Ultimate Frisbee Alumni and Community Event
Leaney Field, Macalester Stadium
Come and join us for the annual Ultimate Frisbee Alumni and Community Event. Compete with and against the current teams and fellow alumni or hang out and cheer your heart out! This is an alcohol-free event hosted by our Open and Gender Inclusive Ultimate Teams. All Mac Fest attendees are invited to join as spectators. 

Registration is appreciated but not required.

8−10 a.m. | 5K Fun Run/Walk
Shaw Field/Leonard Center Portico/Stadium Track
Join us for the Mac Fest 5k Run/Walk. This event is for the entire Macalester community and is designed to be fun—no need to be an Olympic athlete! Faculty, staff, students, family members, alumni, dogs, and strollers are welcome. There is no fee to participate, but all participants must have completed the waiver; registration is available on-site. Check in begins at 8 a.m. at the Leonard Center Portico, and the run/walk begins promptly at 9 a.m. at Shaw Field. The first 500 5K participants will receive a commemorative wristband at check-in.

Registration is required.

8 a.m.–2 p.m. | Mac Fest Check-In and Information
Lowe Dayton Commons, Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center
Check in for the Mac Fest weekend, pick up your name badge, and find information. On-site registration is available. 

9−11:15 a.m. | Alumni Swimming & Diving Meet
Riley Pool, Leonard Center
Come and join us for the annual Alumni Swimming & Diving meet. Compete alongside the current team and your alumni peers, or stand on-deck and cheer your heart out! Either way, we would love for you to join us at Riley Pool during Mac Fest. Meet, mingle and warm up with the current team as early as 9 a.m. Competition will begin at 10 a.m.
All Mac Fest attendees are invited to join as spectators from the Riley Pool Natatorium Balcony. Questions can be directed to coach Kyllian Griffin at [email protected].

Registration is appreciated but not required for swim and dive alumni, alumni families, and current student-athlete families.

10–11:30 a.m. | Men’s Basketball Practice Open Viewing
Bolstorff Court in Alumni Gym, Leonard Center
Come watch the men’s basketball team practice, compete in a dunk contest, and shoot a three point contest on Bolstorff Court in Alumni Gymnasium. All Mac Fest attendees are invited to join as spectators.

10:30–11:30 a.m. | Family Town Hall with President Rivera
Weyerhaeuser Memorial Chapel
Join President Suzanne M. Rivera, Provost Lisa Anderson-Levy, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Kathryn Kay Coquemont, and Vice President for Institutional Equity Alina Wong for updates on the start of the new academic year. Bring your questions for the Q&A session of the program. Please note: This event is for parents and families of Macalester students.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. | Club Tennis Team Family & Friends Tie Break Tournament
Hayden Tennis Courts
Join Club Tennis for a fun and friendly competition open to all members of the Macalester community! The tournament will be in a round-robin format with shortened matches and bragging rights going to the top three doubles pairs! One varsity tennis player allowed per pair.

Registration requested for participation.

11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Men’s Soccer Alumni Game
Leaney Field, Macalester Stadium
Come and join us for the annual Men’s Soccer Alumni game. Compete alongside and against fellow alumni or coach from the touchline! Questions can be directed to coach Gregg Olson at [email protected]. All Mac Fest attendees are invited to join as spectators.

Registration appreciated but not required for men’s soccer alumni.

11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Academic Summer Showcase Open House
Fieldhouse, Leonard Center
Missed the Academic Summer Showcase on Friday? Stroll through the gallery of student posters highlighting the breadth and depth of summer internships, research projects, and entrepreneurial endeavors undertaken by Macalester students in collaboration with faculty, staff, and community partners.

12–2 p.m. | Self-Guided Campus Tour
Campus maps are available at check in, or utilize our online guide.

12–2 p.m. | Highland Hunt
Around campus
During self-guided campus tour hours, join the Highland Hunt! Pick up your scavenger hunt stamp card at Mac Fest Check-In and follow the clues to find mini-figurines of Coo, our new highland cow mascot, all around campus. At each Coo, you’ll find a stamp for your card. Find all nine and turn in your completed card at Check-in to get a fun swag item (cards must be turned in before 2 p.m. Saturday to receive your gift).

12–4 p.m. | Visit the current exhibition at Law Warschaw Gallery
Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, first floor
MICKEY SMITH: Morphologies, curated by Heather Everhart
Macalester’s Law Warschaw Gallery is a vital program of the Art and Art History Department, hosting two curated and two student group exhibitions annually—the juried Spring Salon followed by the art major capstone presentation. The gallery is led by director and curator Heather Everhart and operated with collaborative engagement from Law Warschaw’s student gallery assistants. The gallery assistant is a pre-professional work-study position and critical to all aspects of the gallery’s work.

12:30–1:45 p.m. | M Club Cookout with Scot Dogs
Macalester Stadium North End
Please join the M Club, Macalester Athletics, and the Engagement team for a cookout offering Macalester’s unique hot dogs—the SCOT DOG—served with chips, cookies, and beverages. Vegetarian and vegan alternatives will be available as supplies last. Stick around to support the women’s soccer team, catch the reveal of our new mascot Coo the Highland Cow, and enjoy other entertainment activities.

Registration is required. On-site registration available as supplies last.

12:30–1:45 p.m. | Mac Wagon at M Club Cookout
Macalester Stadium North End
A great Mac gathering means another stop for the Mac Wagon. Don’t miss the opportunity to come and meet members of your Alumni Board, purchase exclusive apparel for Mac Fest 2024, spin-to-win swag, and more!

1–2 p.m. | Center for Study Away Panel
Alexander G. Hill Ballroom, Kagin Commons
Join representatives from the Center for Study Away as they present an overview of the benefits of study away, different programs offered by Macalester, how we support students, info on finances, and timelines.  Bring your questions for the Q&A portion of the program.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

1–2 p.m. | Faculty Lecture: Experiments in the Liberal Arts—Moving Macalester’s Curriculum Forward
John B. Davis Lecture Hall, Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center
This session, led by Dr. Duchess Harris, will provide updates on the college’s curricular revision process within the context of the strategic plan. It will highlight a group of pilot courses offered this fall which offer an experimental introduction to the liberal arts and other ongoing efforts to reshape the curriculum in ways that benefit students and advance the college’s strategic priorities.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

1–3 p.m. | Archives and Special Collections 150th Oral History Project
Archives and Special Collections, DeWitt Wallace Library, second floor
Share your Mac memories and stories with the Macalester community via video recording as part of a special oral history project, celebrating the vivid histories, past and present, at Macalester. Reach out to College Archivist Ely Sheinfeld at [email protected] to participate or sign up here.

1–3 p.m. | Women’s Soccer vs. Concordia
Leaney Field, Macalester Stadium
Put on your Mac gear and join us as the Scots take on Concordia. Free Admission. This event is livestreamed at this link.

1–3 p.m. | Mac Wagon on Great Lawn
Great Lawn
A great Mac gathering means another stop for the Mac Wagon. Don’t miss the opportunity to come and meet members of your Alumni Board, purchase exclusive apparel for Mac Fest 2024, spin-to-win swag, and more!

1:30–3:30 p.m. | Women’s Basketball Alumni and Family Event
Bolstorff Court in Alumni Gym, Leonard Center
The event will be a combination of an alumni basketball game and a family friendly shooting contest for women’s basketball family members. Contact coach Katie Kollar at [email protected] with any questions. All Mac Fest attendees are invited to spectate.

Registration is appreciated but not required for women’s basketball alumni, alumni families, and current student-athlete families.

2–3 p.m. | Track and Field/Cross Country Social
Schall Atrium, Leonard Center
Come join fellow track and field/cross country alumni, coaching staff, student-athletes, and families for a casual social.

Registration is appreciated but not required for track & field and cross country alumni, alumni families, and current student-athlete families. 

2:30–3:30 p.m. | Faculty Lecture: Mac Tales—What are we doing with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
John B. Davis Lecture Hall, Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center
Please join us for an interactive student and alumni panel with Associate Provost & Chief Data Officer Bethany Miller to learn and ask about how AI is evolving on and off our campus.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

3–4 p.m. | A Capella Showcase
Weyerhaeuser Memorial Chapel
Enjoy a sampling from Macalester’s student-led a cappella choirs.

3:30–5:30 p.m. | Men’s Soccer vs. Concordia
Leaney Field, Macalester Stadium
Join us in supporting the men’s soccer team as they take the field against Concordia. Free admission. This event is livestreamed at this link.

6–8 p.m. | Social Garden with Sesquicentennial Beer from Dual Citizen Brewing Company and Food Trucks
Macalester Stadium South Parking Lot
All Macalester community members are welcome to join Alumni and Family Engagement at the Social Garden in celebration of Macalester’s 150th anniversary with a complimentary Dual Citizen Brewing Company special edition Macalester beer or non-alcoholic option! Food trucks will be nearby for food purchase. 

Bar service will be available for of-age alumni, parents, staff, faculty, friends of Macalester, and Mac-Groveland neighbors. Current Macalester students are welcome to attend and enjoy complimentary non-alcoholic beverages but will not be served alcohol. Government issued identification is required for a wristband/alcohol service.

Registration is required. On-site registration available as supplies last.

7–10 p.m. | Football vs. St. Olaf
Leaney Field, Macalester Stadium
Come and cheer for our football team as they face off against St. Olaf. Free Admission. This event is livestreamed at this link.

7:30–8 p.m. | Theater Performance
James A. Williams Black Box Theater, Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center
Join us for an evening of theater as our talented students perform selections of six different plays by six different student playwrights through Macalester’s THDA Playwriting classes, curated by Birdie Keller ’25! Three different staged readings of these plays will be performed on Friday and Saturday during Mac Fest, so each performance will be different each night. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open fifteen minutes before the performance begins.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

8–9 p.m. | Music Mini-Recital
Mairs Concert Hall, Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center
Come listen to some Music Department students share samples of their recent solo repertoire.  

Registration is appreciated but not required.

10−11:30 a.m. | Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) Career Social
Alexander Hill Ballroom, Kagin Commons
Join the annual SAAC Career Social which brings together alumni athletes and current student-athletes to meet, network, and talk about the career field. This event is hosted by the Macalester College Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) in partnership with the Athletics, Career Exploration, and Alumni Engagement Departments.

Registration is required.

10 a.m.−3 p.m. | Ordway County Fair
Ordway Field Station
Explore the Ordway Field Station, Macalester’s “other campus”, at the Ordway County Fair, featuring trail walks, a petting zoo, student-led scavenger hunts, an alumni-led beekeeping class (two classes only—separate registration required, see below), archival audio projects to share memories, student research posters, art activities, food trucks, and more. 

There is no parking allowed at the Ordway Field Station, so free, round-trip shuttles from Macalester’s campus to the Field Station are available once every hour 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Shuttles will depart at 62 Macalester Street, outside the Admissions building. 

Registration for a departure time is required if you plan to take a shuttle. Return shuttle seating is on a first-come, first-served basis; you do not need to register for a return shuttle time.  

If you wish to plan your own transportation, the nearest parking option (approximately one mile from the Ordway Field Station) is at Pine Bend Elementary School, 9875 Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076. Macalester will offer van rides between this parking lot and the Field Station. This option does not require registration.

Learn more about the Ordway Field Station at macalester.edu/ordway. 

Registration is required.

10 a.m.–12 p.m. or 12:30–2 p.m. | Beekeeping Classes at the Ordway County Fair
Ordway Field Station
Join Mac grad and Pollinate Minnesota founder, Erin Rupp ‘04, and safely hang out with a working honey bee colony. Put on a beekeeping suit and hold frames, see life cycle stages up close, spot the queen (if we’re lucky) and sample honey from Ordway’s diverse prairie ecosystem! We’ll also learn who pollinators are, what’s going on with them and how we can help. Class duration: 90 minutes. Participants will be asked to sign a waiver–watch your email for more details upon registration.

(Both classes are fully booked)

Registration is required. There are 20 participant slots per class.
Classes are located at the Ordway Field Station; class start times do not include transit time.

10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Archives and Special Collections 150th Oral History Project
Ordway County Fair
Share your Ordway Field Station memories and stories with the Macalester community via video recording as part of a special oral history project, celebrating the vivid histories, past and present, at Macalester. Reach out to College Archivist Ely Sheinfeld at [email protected] to participate or sign up here.

12–4 p.m. | Visit the current exhibition at Law Warschaw Gallery
Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, first floor
MICKEY SMITH: Morphologies, curated by Heather Everhart
Macalester’s Law Warschaw Gallery is a vital program of the Art and Art History Department, hosting two curated and two student group exhibitions annually—the juried Spring Salon followed by the art major capstone presentation. The gallery is led by director and curator Heather Everhart and operated with collaborative engagement from Law Warschaw’s student gallery assistants. The gallery assistant is a pre-professional work-study position and critical to all aspects of the gallery’s work.

1–3 p.m. | Club Men’s Rugby Event
Leaney Field, Stadium 
Put on your Mac gear and cheer on the Scots club rugby team as they take on St. Scholastica.