Edmonton-area grads a big part of Alumni Weekend

(Edmonton) They're everywhere. Driving on the streets and picking their kids up from school. Running in the River Valley or grabbing an Orange Julius at West Edmonton Mall. Some keep it modestly to themselves; others wear the U of A colours proudly.

More than half of the University of Alberta's nearly 250,000 graduates live, work and play in the Edmonton metropolitan area. And this week the Alumni Association will bring together graduates from both near and far for Alumni Weekend, a city-wide celebration of all things green and gold.

The annual event is an opportunity for graduates and their families to reconnect with their campus experience. It's also a chance for all Edmonton residents to celebrate our grads, come back to campus and explore what's new at the university.

More than 3,000 alumni are expected to return to campus for the weekend, with special parties for those from the milestone classes of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 1987. Alumni and the rest of the university community will be taking part in more than 50 celebratory events including the Alumni Recognition Awards Sept. 20, A Decade Out for younger alumni Sept. 21, and the Dinner & Dance Sept. 22.

There is also a 40-foot-by-160-foot tent erected in Quad on Friday and Saturday. That's where you'll find alumni mingling with staff and students drawn by the scent of cinnamon buns created from the original Tuck Shop recipe. More than 3,184 of the sticky treats were consumed at last year's temporary Tuck Shop.

The faculties will also host break-out reunions. The Faculty of Law will celebrate its centenary year with a Friday night gala, an open house and a dean's lunch on Saturday.

The Alumni Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization that works with the Office of Alumni Relations to keep alumni connected to each other and to the University of Alberta. Alumni Weekend is the association's largest annual celebration, and nearly 100 volunteers come out to make sure the event is a success.

Find out more about Alumni Weekend or register for events at ualberta.ca/alumni/weekend.