Bicentennial Celebration Events
The yearlong celebration of Trinity’s Bicentennial runs from May 5, 2023 through May 12, 2024. Gather your campus memories and get ready to make new ones—and prepare to open the door to Trinity’s third century.
FALL 2023–SPRING 2024
1823 Athletic Contests and Receptions
Join us as we rally behind Trinity College’s exceptional student-athletes as they compete and commemorate a legacy of sportsmanship on our historic campus.
April 27, 2024
Baseball and Softball
Location: the green space between Robin L. Sheppard Field and Murren Family Field/DiBenedetto Stadium
Time: 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Bicentennial game times TBA
Event registration is forthcoming
Bicentennial Gala
Saturday, May 11, 2024
The closing gala at the Connecticut Convention Center will honor the Trinity–Hartford connection and raise funds for financial aid. Ticket are available now through May 1.
Learn more about the gala, program, the silent auction, and sponsorship opportunities at: www.trincoll.edu/bicentennial-gala.
Bicentennial Trinity Film Festival
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Trinity Film Festival welcomes the Trinity and Hartford communities to celebrate some of the best undergraduate filmmakers in the world at the beautiful Cinestudio. TFF alumni are especially encouraged to attend and vote for the Alumni Choice Award at the banquet. Tickets are on sale now!
1823 Series: Free Public Concert with Plena Libre
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Enjoy music from the Grammy-nominated Plena Libre, mixing traditional Puerto Rican rhythms with modern Afro-Caribbean influences. Get ready to dance!
PAST EVENTS
Bicentennial Kickoff
Friday, May 5, 2023
The campus community capped off Honors Day 2023 by launching the Bicentennial! Carnival games and traditional fair food, branded Bicentennial giveaways, games, music , and a fireworks finale made this an event to remember. Check out a recap of the event!
Charter Day 2023
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Did you know that a Charter Day tree planting tradition dates back to the late 19th century? What’s old is new again on May 16, as we celebrated Charter Day with a ceremonial tree planting and the Connecticut State Capitol flying the Trinity flag. President Berger-Sweeney and Banty provided a lemonade toast. Watch a recap of the day, and read about our designation as an arboretum.
Alumni Bicentennial Celebration
Friday–Sunday, June 9–11, 2023
Alumni returned to campus for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration over the course of our traditional Reunion Weekend. They reconnected with classmates and friends from cultural houses, athletic teams, fraternities and sororities, academic groups, and student clubs; renewed Trinity wedding vows in the Chapel; found names in first-year Matriculation books; and enjoyed musical performances and dancing in the biggest birthday bash. Check out a recap of the weekend!
Bicentennial Concerts and Picnic
Wednesday, July 12
The first event of the 1823 Series—Bicentennial events that are free and open to the public—the Bicentennial Concerts and Picnic, featured an organ recital inside the Chapel by Christopher Houlihan, John Rose College Organist-and-Directorship Distinguished Chair of Chapel Music and Artist-in-Residence. An outdoor live performance by Ellen Dickinson, College Carillonneur, will follow and include Fanfare 1823, which was commissioned in honor of Trinity’s Bicentennial celebration. Read a recap of the event.
2023 Community Block Party
September 23, 2023
A fun-filled back-to-school event featured free food trucks, performances, entertainment, and special ways to engage with Trinity’s Bicentennial celebration. Hosted by Trinity College’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Bicentennial Fall Weekend
Friday–Sunday, October 13–15, 2023
All were invited to an autumnal celebration that combined the traditions of Homecoming and the kinship of Family Weekend. The Bantams teams met rivals on the playing fields and the fall athletics reception celebrated our football, women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, and field hockey teams. See the schedule
JOY!
As part of Trinity College’s 1823 Series, the Austin Arts Center presented JOY!, a dazzling spectacle of music, dance, and circus on October 13 and 14. Under the direction of choreographer Tandy Beal, this world-class, multi-talented ensemble of dancers, acrobats, and circus artists performed to live music from award-winning a cappella group SoVoSó. Tailored to Trinity’s Bicentennial, the magical madcap of more than 25 JOY! performers were joined by students, faculty, and professionals from the College, and the surrounding region.
The Virtual Long Walk: Committed to the Future
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Committed to the Future: Diplomacy Abroad
Michael Battle ’73, H’11,US Ambassador to Tanzania
in conversation with
Garth Myers, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Urban International Studies and Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies
Fall Symposium: Memory, Presence and Possibility
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Bicentennial Lessons and Carols
December 10, 2023
Join us for a special 64th Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols to mark the beginning of the holiday season for the Greater Hartford community. For this special event, we will feature a newly commissioned work by David Hurd, a setting of a portion of Psalm 96: “Sing to the Lord a New Song,” dedicated to Lisa Bisaccia ‘78 and Robert Naparstek whose generosity has supported the Chapel Music program. Other pieces by alumni and community composers and performers include:
- “Hark the Glad Sound” by Paul Lindsley Thomas ’50
- “He shall come down like rain” by Dudley Buck, Class of 1859
- “The Angel Gabriel” by Robert Edward Smith, chapel composer-in-residence since 1979
- “Cradle Song” by Douglas Bruce Johnson, professor emeritus of music
- Student organists Madison Thompson ’25 and Chris Yi ’26 will perform with Vaughn Mauren ’07.
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The Chapel Singers will sing a piece which premiered 825 years ago, Pérotin’s “Viderunt Omnes,” and a work by Kerensa Briggs.
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Trinity College Gospel Choir will perform a festive selection.
Location: The Chapel, free to all, seating is on a first-come basis
Time: 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Click for more information
Cinestudio—Six Decades of Movies at Trinity
Since 1970, Cinestudio has been an integral part of Trinity’s campus life. Part of the free and open 1823 Series, Cinestudio presents a curated series of iconic films that each represent a decade since its founding, as selected by alumni, students, faculty, and staff.
September 10, 2023, THE GODFATHER (1972)
October 1, 2023, BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)
November 5, 2023, PULP FICTION (1994)
Followed by a talkback with John Michael Mason ’12, M’14
December 3, 2023, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)
Followed by a talkback with James Hanley ’72, H’20, co-founder of Cinestudio, and Crystal Nieves ’08, M’23, Director of LGBTQ+ Life.
February 4, 2024, PARASITE (2019)
March 3, 2024, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022)
April 7, 2024, Final Film: LAWRENCE OF ARABIA IN 70MM (1962)
The grand finale of the Cinestudio Bicentennial 1823 Series: Six Decades of On-Campus Movies featuing the timeless epic “Lawrence of Arabia” with a screening of the rare 70mm print, as well as a “Coffee Chat” with Cinestudio founders, James Hanley ’72 and Peter McMorris ’73, facilitated by Milla Riggio, James J. Goodwin professor of English, Emerita.
1823 Athletic Contests and Receptions
Trinity College’s exceptional student-athletes competed and commemorated the legacy of sportsmanship on our historic campus. As part of the 1823 Series, each varsity team designated one game throughout the year and hosted a reception in honor of the Bicentennial.
September 9, 2023: Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
Location: Wickham Park
Time: 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
The Bicentennial races begin at 10:30 a.m.
October 1, 2023: Men’s and Women’s Rowing
Location: Friends of Trinity Boathouse
Time: 7:30 a.m.–noon
The Bicentennial races begin at 8:00 a.m.
October 14, 2023: Football, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer, Volleyball, Field Hockey
Location: the green space between Robin L. Sheppard Field and Murren Family Field/DiBenedetto Stadium
Time: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Bicentennial matches:
- 11:00 a.m.: Women’s Soccer
- 11:00 a.m.: Field Hockey
- 1:00 p.m.: Football
- 2:00 p.m.: Men’s Soccer
- 2:00 p.m.: Volleyball
December 9, 2023: Men’s Basketball and Men’s Ice Hockey
Location: Memorial Field House
Time: 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Registration is open
Bicentennial Matches:
- 1:00 p.m.: Men’s basketball
- 4:00 p.m.: Men’s ice hockey
February 3, 2024
Women’s Basketball, Women’s Ice Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving, Men’s and Women’s Squash, Wrestling
Location: Memorial Field House
Time: 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Bicentennial game times TBA
Event registration is forthcoming
April 13, 2024
Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Women’s Lacrosse
Location: the green space between Robin L. Sheppard Field and Murren Family Field/DiBenedetto Stadium
Time: 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Bicentennial game times TBA
Event registration is forthcoming
April 20, 2024
Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Track and Field, Women’s Track and Field
Location: the green space between Robin L. Sheppard Field and Murren Family Field/DiBenedetto Stadium
Time: 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Bicentennial game times TBA
Event registration is forthcoming
Regional Bicentennial Faculty Events
A series of regional events with Trinity College faculty from a variety of disciplines. Faculty speakers will join Sonia Cardenas, dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs and Scott M. Johnson ’97 Distinguished Professor of Political Science, and share their scholarship, research, and a look into the futures of their fields. Hear directly from faculty about Trinity’s innovative liberal arts curriculum and how they’re preparing students to tackle the challenges of today’s world and those of the future. Read more.
Wednesday, October 18, 2023: Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, October 24, 2023: Chicago, IL
Wednesday, November 1, 2023: San Francisco, CA
Sunday, November 5, 2023: Los Angeles, CA
Wednesday, November 8, 2023: Washington, DC
Wednesday, November 15, 2023: Boston, MA
Thursday, February 22, 2024: Fairfield County, CT
The Virtual Long Walk: Committed to the Future
Emeriti Faculty Observations of the Past and Visions for the Future
Thursday, November 16, 2023
In this discussion, hear from beloved retired faculty members about their favorite Trinity memories, what they have been doing since retirement, and their hopes for Trinity’s future. Learn more and register.
Commemorating the Rev. Edward Jones, Trinity College’s First African American Graduate, M.A. 1830: November 18–19, 2023
Presented in partnership with the Institute for Cross-Cultural Awareness and Transformative Education. Schedule and registration.
Bicentennial Virtual Long Walk
Wednesday, January 24, 7:00 p.m. ET on Zoom
Join us for “Committed to the Future: Ensuring Access to Higher Education,” a discussion among college and university presidents about the future of higher education and ensuring social accessibility. The panel discussion features: Mike Allen ’92, president, Barry University; Joanne Berger-Sweeney, president, Trinity College; Jane Fernandes ’78, president, Antioch College; and Walt Harrison ’68, H’18, president emeritus, University of Hartford.
Learn more and register here.
Bicentennial Spring Symposium
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Registration is now open! The Bicentennial Symposia are designed by faculty, staff, students, and alumni to create inter-generational reflection and dialogue about our history, our identity, and our future. Read more about the Spring Symposium here.
Bicentennial Samba Fest!
April 20, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Calling all Samba Ensemble alumni and friends! We are looking to assemble 200 drummers for the “Bicentennial Big Bang.” Join Professor Eric Galm in this annual tradition of music, rhythm, song, dance, and fun. Register to participate or contact Michelle Deluse ’12, M’16,, associate director of alumni relations for more information. Register today. Visit the Samba Fest website.