With Parents Weekend kicking off today, Brown is finalizing preparations, and Providence is feeling the strain of more than 1,200 visiting families.
As of last night, nearly 4,000 people - parents, grandparents and students - were registered for this weekend's events, according to Amabelle Allen at the Brown Events Office.
More are expected. "We usually have 100 or so people who register on-site," Allen said. She said Parents Weekend is expecting to host people from nearly every U.S. state and several other countries.
Three major downtown hotels - the Biltmore, the Marriott and the Westin - are all booked through the weekend, even with an average price of over $200 per night.
Because of the high volume of visitors to the city this weekend, some parents have been forced to book hotels in surrounding towns like Seekonk, Mass., and Cranston.
Two Brown parents who are prominent public figures will be speaking about their experiences and fields. Chris Matthews P'05, host of the political television show "Hardball," will be speaking tonight. Academy Award-winning actor Dustin Hoffman P'07 will speak Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Aside from the two featured speeches this weekend, events planned for parents include a trip to the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology in Bristol, lectures by prominent faculty members, a continental breakfast on the Main Green and receptions with various administrators.
President Ruth Simmons will speak with parents at 11 a.m. Sunday in her annual Parents Weekend question-and-answer session.
Dance, theater and musical productions are also scheduled every night this weekend, and the football, hockey and soccer teams will also play home games. The football team, which plays Cornell University on Saturday, is celebrating Homecoming.
All events are being held rain or shine, according to the events office. Most events this year are being held indoors or under tents, and walking tours of campus and the city will take place regardless of inclement weather.
