Reunion FAQs

Yes! Online registration will open in late April, so stay tuned!

• before April 30: early-registration discount (registration costs apply)
• May 1-19: regular pricing
• May 19: online registration closes at 5 p.m. ET

On-site registration is available at an additional surcharge. Class meal tickets are limited and cannot be guaranteed.

Yes! Limited-capacity class events may not be available for purchase during late or on-site registration and additional at-the-door fees will be charged.

Yes. A registration fee* is assessed per person and is required to attend any portion of your Reunion.
*65th-80th Reunioners: Brown is waiving your registration fee!

If you are no longer able to attend, please email Reunion Headquarters at Reunions@brown.edu as soon as possible. Refund requests will be honored if received at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Want to see if a certain someone is attending? Find your class’s attendee list by visiting your myBrown account. 

Eager to engage with your classmates? Visit BrownConnect+ to connect with your class community or find classmates via the Alumni Directory.

Absolutely. Reunion is a family event! 

1. Kids get a kick out of Bruno's Block Party! There are activities for all ages, toddler through teenager, as well as kid-friendly meal options. Bruno's Block Party is also a chance to introduce your kids to Rhode Island favorites like Del's lemonade. Finally, nothing says photo op like Bruno the Bear playing with your kids on the grass.
2. Procession! Your kids can high-five generations of Brunonians, learn multiple versions of the Brown alma mater (only the appropriate ones, of course), cheer for the new grads, wear funny hats and Brown gear, and of course, see in your face how much you love this place.
3. Memory lane. Show your kids your old dorm, your campus haunts, and maybe introduce them to your favorite prof. Routes may vary.
4. And more: Check the main Reunion schedule and Commencement Weekend Schedule for performances and concerts open to everyone during Reunion Weekend. Your only problem will be that you can’t do everything.  

Yes! A limited number of on-campus housing options (including dorm rooms, suites, and apartments) are available for Reunion guests.

On-campus housing reservations will open in late April. For more information and updates, visit the Residential Life's webpage.

Act immediately! Hotel space in greater Providence is limited. Here are some helpful sites to get you started:

• Brown Visitor Accommodations website
• Brown Travel Portal
• Rhode Island Visitor Info
• Providence Visitor Info

Staying on campus? Visit Residential Life under the Reunion check-in tent on Wriston Quadrangle upon your arrival. 

On-site reservations are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Check in with the Office of Residential Life satellite location under the tent on Wriston Quadrangle. Contact the Office of Residential Life at +1 (401) 863-3502 or Res_Life@brown.edu.

Give your GPS a rest. We’ve got you covered:

• From the north: From Route 95 South take Exit 25 and turn left on Smithfield Avenue. Then turn left on North Main Street. Then take an immediate right turn on 7th Street. Then turn right on Hope Street South. Then turn right onto Power Street. Then turn right onto Brown Street.
   
• From the south: From Route 95 North take Exit 24 East on Branch Avenue to Cypress Street. Turn right on Hope Street South. Then turn right onto Power Street. Then turn right onto Brown Street.
   
• From the east: Take I-195 West to Exit 2; continue straight on South Main Street and turn right onto College Street. Continue straight up the hill to the Van Wickle Gates on Prospect Street.
   
• From the northwest: From 146 South take the Branch Avenue Exit. Turn left on Branch Avenue. Continue on Branch Avenue East. Then continue East on Cypress Street. Turn right on Hope Street South. Then turn right onto Power Street. Then turn right onto Brown Street.
   
• From the west on Route 6: Take Route 95 North, then take Exit 24 East on Branch Avenue. Continue East on Cypress Street. Then turn right onto Hope Street South. Then turn right onto Power Street. Then turn right onto Brown Street.

Note: Repairs on the Washington Bridge (I-195) and subsequent new traffic patterns may affect certain travel routes. Visit the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s page for the latest travel information regarding the closure of the Washington Bridge.

To ease your travel to Brown, the University has made additional parking spaces available on campus. You may leave your car in any of the University lots at any time from Friday at 5 p.m. through the weekend. The largest lot on campus is the Power Street lot (both lower and upper levels) at the corner of Power and Thayer streets. The top-level entrance is on Power Street; the bottom-level entrance is on the corner of Williams and Brook streets. Additional parking is available at The Wheeler School and Hope High School from Friday evening through Sunday evening.

• Even though hourly restrictions are waived for Reunion Weekend, do observe the city’s parking laws and emergency "No Parking" signs.
• Any cars parked in a temporary tow zone, in marked handicapped spaces without a placard, in violation of a fire hydrant, blocking driveways, or obstructing Brown police or Providence police sawhorses will be towed at the owner’s expense.
• Parking is prohibited on George Street from Prospect Street to Brown Street, on Brown Street from George Street to Charlesfield Street, and on Waterman Street from Prospect Street to Thayer Street.
• There is no parking on Providence city streets from 1 to 5 a.m.

All classes check in at Wriston Quad. 

Yes, Reunion student staff bellhops will be available at Wayland Arch located near Wriston Quad.

An up-to-date campus map will be available to pick up Reunion check-in located under the Wriston Quad tent. Or, access the digital campus map with your smartphone.

Brown students are working this weekend to ensure that your time back on campus runs smoothly. They are here to help carry your luggage, greet you at registration, assist with your class events, and much more. All students will be wearing vibrant lanyards so you will be able to identify them during your time on campus.

Yes, please see the shuttle operating hours, stops, and more on the Commencement parking info web page. 

If you are no longer able to attend, please email Reunion Headquarters at Reunions@brown.edu as soon as you know that you will not be able to keep your reservation. We will do all that we can to see that you receive a refund following Reunion Weekend. However, if you have been included in a confirmed number at an event, we cannot guarantee a refund.  

The Brown University police dispatch emergency personnel and coordinate all emergency services.

• For medical emergencies or urgent medical care, call +1 (401) 863-4111.
• From campus phones, which are designated by blue lights, press the red emergency button.
• Any uniformed police officer, security officer, or emergency medical technician can assist you in obtaining care.

• All community members can receive care from Brown Emergency Services (EMS) at the medical tent between Friedman and Sayles halls. The tent will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Brown EMS can provide hygiene products, sunscreen, tissues, bandages, ice packs, safety pins, sports drinks, water, and any first or immediate aid needed for a medical emergency. Please note: EMS staff cannot dispense medications unless providing patient care (and ambulance transportation).
• For emergency medical situations, please call +1 (401) 863-4111. Also see “What if I have a medical emergency?” above.

The Brown University Department of Public Safety dispatches emergency personnel and coordinates all emergency services.

• To obtain help for any emergency in the Brown community, call +1 (401) 863-4111.
• From campus phones, which are designated by blue lights, press the red emergency button.
• To report a non-emergency, or to seek other assistance from the Brown University police, call +1 (401) 863-3322 (extension 3-3322 from any University phone).

Reunion attendees who have a state-issued hang tag qualify for handicapped parking, and special arrangements can be made for drop-off service for those needing close access. To determine your requirements, obtain a University-issued handicapped parking permit, and/or make the necessary arrangements, visit commencement.brown.edu/plan/accessibility, or contact Transportation and Parking Services at +1 (401) 863-3157. Arrangements must be made prior to your on-campus arrival.

Wheelchairs can be rented, in limited numbers, at Maddock Alumni Center. Arrangements for rentals can be made in advance by emailing Reunions@brown.edu or by calling Reunion Headquarters at +1 (401) 863-7783.

Yes. The SAS (Student Accessibility Services) Shuttle provides rides on request to locations throughout campus for people with disabilities or medical conditions. To reach the SEAS shuttle dispatcher please call +1 (401) 225-9572. 

Yes. Please contact Reunion Headquarters by emailing Reunions@brown.edu or calling +1 (401) 863-7783 for more information.

Welcome back to Rhode Island, where temperatures on Memorial Day weekend have been as high as 90 or as low as 50, and rain is always a possibility. We strongly advise you to bring an umbrella and to pack for all contingencies. Hey, it’s all part of the New England charm.

Events take place rain or shine. Many Reunion and class events are outdoors or under tents and cannot be moved inside due to the large number of returning alumni and guests, so choose your footwear accordingly. Events will only be canceled if there is lightning or serious weather concerns.

• Most Reunion events are casual. It’s Brown—be comfortable! It’s also New England in the spring, which means you should be prepared for a wide variety of weather.
• Campus Dance attire is a personal choice—gowns, bermuda shorts, tuxedos, jeans—it’s all good.
• One exception might be your class event, which can be dressier. Class dinners, for instance, are typically business attire.
• Finally, footwear. Yes, Reunion can feel like a fairytale but leave the glass slippers in your suitcase. College Hill terrain can be uneven (those quaint cobblestones) and damp, even on the grass under the elegant tents.
• If you are looking for Brown gear to wear, see “Brown Bookstore” below.

Oh, yes. When your feet are tired from dancing and your mouth is tired from laughing, find a comfy lecture hall and learn something. Forums will take place on Saturday morning and afternoon. For a complete schedule, visit commencement.brown.edu/overview starting in mid-April.

Alumni gather on George Street and the College Green near University Hall. Look for your class signs.

The “inverted sock” formation of alumni and graduating seniors is one of Brown’s greatest traditions—follow your class leaders and all will be well. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Alumni gather along the sidewalk in front of University Hall and along both sides of George Street. See the map in your Reunion brochure for an idea of where your Reunion class will form. Look for your class signs.
2. The procession steps off through Faunce Arch promptly at 9:45 a.m. with the chief marshal leading the graduating seniors down the hill. The alumni division steps off at 10:05 a.m., falls in behind the faculty, and proceeds down the hill toward the Van Wickle Gates. The alumni line the street, poised to cheer on the new graduates, who are beginning their own lifelong connection to the Brown alumni community. The new graduates cheer for the alumni...
3. ...and the alumni, in turn, cheer for the graduates, who are en route to the First Baptist Church to begin their own lifelong connection to the Brown alumni community.
4. After the graduates pass through, alumni join the Procession again. Thus the famous “inverted sock” is formed. What does it mean to “unroll the sock”? It means that the oldest alumni come face-to-face with the youngest alumni. We see the continuity of our alma mater in each other.

Short answer, yes. Check the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life for the schedule as the weekend nears.

• ON-CAMPUS: Are visions of Ratty chicken fingers already dancing in your head? Reunion fare will be slightly classier. In addition to scheduled Reunion meals, including class meals, several campus markets and eateries will be open.
• NEARBY: Let’s be real—as you may have guessed, we’re not supposed to promote non-campus eateries. That said, we will risk whispering to you: Get thee to Thayer Street.

Brown University Catering and local caterers will make every effort to meet special dietary needs. You must email your dietary needs and the names of the catered events you will be attending to Reunion Headquarters at Reunions@brown.edu.

In case you don’t burn enough calories at Campus Dance, you are welcome to use the Nelson Fitness Center during Reunion Weekend. Guest passes cost $15 per person per day and can be purchased online. For hours and more information, please see the Nelson Fitness Center website.

A wise person once said, “How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you’re on.” So, without further ado, here are some general guidelines:

• Restrooms are located in Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Sayles Hall and Salomon Center.
• During Campus Dance, many portable restrooms are available on the front green, College Green, and Simmons Quad (formerly known as Lincoln Field). Please note that Sayles Hall, Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Salomon Hall, and several other buildings are closed during Campus Dance.
• On Sunday only, in addition to Sayles Hall and Salomon Center on the College Green, trailer restrooms will be available on George Street between Brown and Magee streets.

Brown’s Department of Public Safety coordinates the lost and found desk. If you find an item, please bring it to the Department of Public Safety headquarters at 75 Charlesfield Street. Call +1 (401) 863-3322 regarding any lost items.

The Brown Bookstore now features indoor and outdoor seating, Brown souvenirs galore, and, not incidentally, books.

• Friday, May 23, 9 a.m. to  8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 24, 8 a.m. to  8 p.m.
• Sunday, May 25, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Phone: +1 (401) 863-3168

Reunion merchandise will be sold at Bruno’s Reunion Shop, located at check-in under the Wriston Quadrangle tent. Browse an array of items from umbrellas to totes during the following times: 

• Friday, noon to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

1. #BrownReunion
2. #CampusDance

You are welcome to log onto Brown’s visitor network. Wireless is available in all residence halls, on the College Green, and in many classrooms: From your list of available networks, choose Brown-Guest, then provide your email address, and voila! You’re online!