The Bates Jewish Union sponsored a gathering at sundown on Friday, Oct. 1, for its members and parents to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath that kicked off Back to Bates: Family Day.

Registration was the first stop of the day as family members stopped by the check-in desk in front of Coram Library on the Historic Quad. There, they picked up name tags, confirmed registrations, and could ask college staff questions about the day’s activities.

Students and families were asked to keep their eyes and ears open for pop up surprises around campus. Eager audiences lined up as Bates a cappella groups performed throughout the morning in front of Hathorn and Pettengill halls. First up: the ManOps swept their devoted audience off its feet.

The Merimanders wowed them in front of Pettengill Hall, as the Deansmen shone in the Hathorn spotlight.

Parents gathered in a tent on the Library Quad for coffee, tea, and a Bobcat chat, spending time with other families.

They heard from President Clayton Spencer and members of her senior team, Vice President for Campus Life Josh McIntosh and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty Malcolm Hill, during an informal Q&A.

Beyond organized events, students and their families found opportunities to sit, walk, and listen.

A photographer's dream: Do you mind if I make a portrait?

Those on campus had a chance to reserve tickets to refuel with a tasty outdoor BBQ lunch, and to get to know other Bates families.

The Wesleyan Cardinals edged the Bates football team 27–24 during an action-packed contest at Garcelon Field. 

Students perform Taiko, a form of ensemble drumming originating in Japan but now presented by groups across North America and around the world. Under the direction of their club advisor, Lecturer in Environmental Studies Carissa Aoki, they performed two songs on the Coram Stage: “Matsuri,” based on traditional Japanese festival music, and “Ei ja nai ka,” a tribute to the labor of early Japanese immigrants, which included audience dance participation on the Historic Quad.

Hosted by President Clayton Spencer at her home, and joined by other members of the Bates community, MOSAIC families gathered to make connections among the families, guardians, and support networks of underrepresented racial, ethnic, LGBTQIA+, first-generation college, and international Bates students.