Brown invited parents and siblings to experience life on College Hill this Family Weekend.
About 50 percent of attendees were related to first-years, 20 percent to sophomores and 15 percent each to juniors and seniors, wrote Director of the Event and Conference Center Julie Haworth in an e-mail to The Herald.
"Brown welcomed and hosted over 2,400 students and family members, representing more than 700 families from 41 states and 15 countries," she wrote.
Last year's Family Weekend drew approximately 3,000 people to Brown, Haworth wrote.
This weekend, the University hosted events including Cider on the Green Friday afternoon; Faculty Forums, where Brown faculty members talked about their research; and the Hour with the President, a speech from President Ruth Simmons followed by a question-and-answer session. Families also attended the football game against Cornell, the Brown University Wind Symphony Concert and special performances by a cappella groups.
Attendees paid $40 for the first registration and $25 for each additional guest over twelve years of age to hear lectures by prominent faculty members, tour historical sites in the area and attend a variety of student group performances. They registered online or at the Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center.
"Everything is great," said Jeff Berman P'14, father of Laura Berman '14. "We went to see Improvidence, hear the president speak, see King Lear, and I went to the football game."
"The diversity of opportunity here is incredible," he said, adding that he would have liked to go to more of the events, but the weekend schedule was too packed to allow it.
Family members of Brendan Hainline '12, co-creator of Dot Comic for The Herald, were also happy about how the weekend turned out. "We're sharing lots of time together as a family, and this is the first time the siblings have come," said Melody Hainline P'12, Brendan's mother. The family attended the Mariachi de Brown concert, visited museums and went to the Wind Symphony Concert.
There were a few problems with the influx of family members this weekend, though. When asked if there was anything that needed improvement, brother Russell Hainline said, "Traffic control. There are some out-of-control drivers in Providence."
"Some of the events need more publicity," Melody Hainline said. "And more mariachi!"
