Photo by Karl Rabe
Join us!
Mark your calendars: Bard Alumni/ae Weekend will be held from Friday, October 23 – Sunday, October 25, 2026.
We welcome alumni/ae, family members, and parents to join us for Family and Alumni/ae Weekend 2026. Enjoy a weekend packed with activities, showcasing just about every program on Bard’s 1,200-acre campus, including classes, athletic events, walking tours, meeting Bard faculty and staff, and more.
Weekend Highlights!
Please refer to the 2026 schedule for info on all events taking place during the weekend
Photo by Karl Rabe
Alumni/ae Fall Harvest Lunch
Saturday, October 24
12:45 pm - 2:00 pm EST
12:45 pm - 2:00 pm EST
Alumni/ae and their guests are invited to eat together inside beautiful Blithewood Mansion. Sign up for Bard's signature Ten-Topping Chili Bar. Enjoy classic chili, or the vegan option, plus all the toppings. Lunch includes cornbread, Bard Farm fall salad, local apple crumble and ice cream. Soft drinks, craft beer, hard cider, coffee and tea.
Tickets are required. Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased through the registration form.
Lobby, Blithewood Mansion
Tickets are required. Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased through the registration form.
Lobby, Blithewood Mansion
Photo by Karl Rabe
Spirits of Annandale
Friday, October 23
4:30 pm - 5:45 pm EST
4:30 pm - 5:45 pm EST
Come for a tour of the Bard College Cemetery. Alumni/ae docents will tell you the stories of some of the cemetery’s illustrious inhabitants, which include members of the Bard family, political philosopher Hannah Arendt, telepath Jean Grey, filmmaker Adolfas Mekas, novelist Philip Roth, and many more. Thematic libations and treats provided. Timed admission slots available at registration. Registration required.
Meet at Lych Gate, Bard Cemetery
Open Hours at the Ralph Ellison Center
Saturday, October 24
10:00 am - 4:00 pm EST
10:00 am - 4:00 pm EST
Drop into the Ralph Ellison Center's open hours to learn more about this meaningful new addition to the Bard College campus. Ralph Ellison taught at Bard College beginning around 1958 and the College established the Ralph Ellison Center after receiving the rights and resources from the Ralph and Fanny Ellison Trust. The center serves as a campus hub and gathering space for writers, artists, and student scholars focusing on multi-modal artistic expression and public dialogue.
The Ralph Ellison Center, Campus Center North
The Ralph Ellison Center, Campus Center North
Bard's Raptors, Photo by Tyler R. Williams '19 MAT '21
Bardian Birdians: A Bird Tour of Tivoli Bays
Saturday, October 24
8:30 am - 10:00 am EST
8:30 am - 10:00 am EST
Start your day off with a bird walk in the beautiful Tivoli Bays, where you are likely to see a variety of feathered friends: hawks, eagles, wood ducks, and more. Bird enthusiast and member of the Bard College Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors Juliette Zicot ’23 will be your guide. Bring your binoculars, notebook, and hiking boots or waterproof footwear; it may be muddy. Space is limited; registration required.
Meet at the lower-level entrance to the Fisher Center
Meet at the lower-level entrance to the Fisher Center