Guide to Colonials Weekend 2010

It's that time of year again: the leaves are changing, midterms are in full swing and parents are coming to campus to visit for the annual GW Colonials Weekend. This year the university has planned more events than ever before, here are just a few of the highlights you don't want to miss:

• Colonials Invasion: On Friday night, the Smith Center will be filled with live music, giveaways, and performances to celebrate the start of the basketball season.
• Acapellapalooza: Come see all of GW's acappella groups perform in this annual charity concert on Friday night at 20th and G.
• Lectures from GW's 'Best' Faculty: Interesting and relevant lectures will be hosted through out the weekend in various locations. A few of the topics for the weekend include "Impending Global Energy Crisis: Fact or Fiction?", "Post Obama America," and President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg will be lecturing on his opinion of Higher Education's future.
• Dean Breakfasts: On Saturday morning, every school will be hosting a Dean's breakfast for students' families to meet the Dean and invited faculty.
• Octoberfest: The Mount Vernon Campus will be hosting students, families, and friends for entertainment, games, arts, crafts and tasty fall desserts on Saturday afternoon at the annual Octoberfest event.
• Jimmy Fallon: Comedian Jimmy Fallon will headline the Colonials Weekend with two performances on Saturday evening (7 p.m. and 10 p.m.), tickets are still available through ticketmaster!
• Foggy Bottom/West End Neighborhood Block Party: On Sunday afternoon, FRIENDS, (a local community group to promote positive dialogue between GW and its neighbors) will host its eighth annual free event that includes over 100 booths from local businesses, restaurants, groups and institutions.

For more information and events, go to http://gwired.gwu.edu/parents/ColonialsWeekend/2010ScheduleofEvents/

WRGW Hosts Student Showcase

WRGW hosted a student performance showcase in University Yard on Sunday to kick off Octoberfest, a month-long event at the radio station that features various interviews and in-studio performances.

The event, hosted by Sports Director Greg Shapiro, included many different student performers, including pianist and singer Shelby Hartman, who kicked off the event with a sultry cover of Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why,” guitarists Eshawn Rawlley (who did an acoustic cover of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody") and Imran Mahmud (who teamed up with Rawlley to do an acoustic cover of "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” by the Postal Service), Max Feinblatt, Alyssa Hart, Jeremy Jacobson, and Jose Ginarte with his band, Plumsucker. Shapiro also performed, and invited the other performers back onstage for a “jam session” as a finale.

The showcase drew a small but enthusiastic crowd that fluctuated from 20 to 50 throughout the afternoon; many students passing through the Yard during the event paused on their walk to check out the performances. Coffee and donuts were served to attendants, and guests were given an opportunity to sign up for an email listserv to learn more about WRGW and Octoberfest.