North Main Street, Davidson College (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

More than 1,500 Davidson College alumni and family members are back in town Reunion Weekend 2011 Thursday to Sunday, with classes, receptions, movies, tours, class dinners and even a Reunion Cake Race – a 1.4 mile run just like the Freshman Cake Race for incoming students every August. This year is No. 50 for the Class of 1961, No. 25 for 1986, and No. 5 for 2006 grads.

The reunions begin Thursday and continue through Sunday, June 5. Some visitors will return to the classroom for lectures by Davidson faculty, staff and alumni on everything from globalization to ethics to what the campus might look like in 20 years.

Classes will host dinners and receptions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, some on campus and some at the Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse at 215 S. Main St. And for those alumni with kids, the college offers supervised play during the dinner hours, and teen/tween room for older offspring.

Many alumni will be housed in the college dorms, while others are booking rooms at local hotels.

More information is available on the Davidson College website’s Reunion 2011 pages.

Here are a few highlights of the weekend schedule; for the full schedule, see the college website.

For non-college events, from the Davidson Farmer’s Market to local theater and music, check out DavidsonNews.net’s The Guide. And for a list of local restaurants, see our dining guide in Food & Dining.

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

Noon to 6 p.m. Welcome Center open, Nancy O. Blackwell Alumni House, 420 N. Main St.

2-5 p.m., Back-to-School Classes, Chambers Hall – Includes “The French Presidential Election in 2012″ with Homer Sutton ’71, Professor of French; “The Future of Campus: Davidson’s Master Plan,” with David Holthouser, Director of Facilities Management; “War Poetry Then and Now: Wilfred Owen and Brian Turner,” with Suzanne Churchill, Professor of English; and “A History of Davidson,” with college archivist Jan Blodgett.

8 p.m., Movie Night, Alvarez College Union 900 Room – Screening of “Hoosiers.” Popcorn and refreshments available. Cash bar.

8:30 p.m., Flatiron Kitchen and Taphouse, 215 S. Main St. – Class of 2006 Welcome Back Cocktails

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

8-5 p.m., Welcome Center, Nancy O. Blackwell Alumni House, 420 N. Main St.

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lake Campus Activities, Davidson College Lake Campus.

9:00-11 a.m. Davidson Athletics Fantasy Camps, with coaching staff and student athletes.

11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tours of the Davidson College Permanent Art Collection, Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center, 315 N. Main St.

1-4 p.m. Back-to-School Classes, Chambers Building – “Reminiscences on Three Sabbaticals in Bejing and Taiwan: Crazy Experiences in the Far East,” with Gill Holland, Professor Emertius of English; “Whose Life Is It Anyway? The Ethical Challenges of Representing Children in America’s Courts,” with Anissa Patton ’91, Attorney and Co-founder of Children and Women’s Advocacy Clinic; “Banking Before and After the Financial Crisis: Some Pertinent Facts and An Opinion or Two,” with Joseph Smith ’71, North Carolina Commisioner of Banks; “The Magic of Chemistry,” with Durwin Striplin, Professor of Chemistry (kid friendly event); “Innocents Abroad? Christian Ethics, American Identity and the Dilemma of the Short-Term Mission Trip,” with Letitia Campbell ’96, Doctoral Candidate (Ethics and Society) and Graduate Teaching Fellow (Masters in Development Practice), Emory University; “Sustainability at Work: Clean Energy, Real Food and Less Waste,” with Lisa McNeilly ’86, Director of Sustainability, University of California Berkeley; “Reptile Friends,” with Michael Dorcas, Professor of Biology. “Courage to Pursue Dreams and Ideas: Looking Back on My Davidson Experience,” with Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. ’76, Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient; Founder and Chair of The Winkenwerder Company and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, U.S. State Department.

6-10 p.m., Teen Room, Sprinkle Room, Alvarez College Union, Knobloch Campus Center

6:30 p.m., All-Alumni Reunion Kick-off Gathering, Duke Family Performance Hall.

7 p.m., All-Alumni Reunion Reception, Alvarez College Union

7 p.m., Class of 1961 Dinner, Lilly Family Gallery, Chambers Building

9 p.m., Class of 2001 Gathering, Flatiron Kitchen and Taphouse, 215 S. Main St.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Welcome Center Open, Nancy O. Blackwell Alumni House

8-10 a.m., Teen Room – Sprinkle Room, Alvarez College Union

8 a.m. to noon, Davidson Farmer’s Market – Next to Davidson Town Hall between Main & Jackson Streets

8:30 a.m. Reunion Cake Race, Meet at the front of Baker Sports Complex

8:30 a.m. Service Saturday Projects – Spend a morning enjoying time with friends and reconnecting with the community. Staff and students from the Center for Civic Engagement.

9:30 a.m. Memorial Service, Davidson College Presbyterian Church – Honor the memories of departed classmates.

10 a.m. to noon, Class gatherings, various locations.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. All-Alumni Lunch, Vail Commons

1-2:30 p.m., College Archives Open House, E.H. Little Library, 2nd floor

2-4 p.m., Reunion Lawn Party, Chambers Lawn- With a beer garden, live music and kids carnival. Also, class pictures, various times.

4-5 p.m., GSAND (Gay-Straight Alumni Network of Davidson) Reception, Carnegie Guest House

4:30-5:30 p.m., ACE (Alumni of Color Engagement) Reception, Multicultural House

6:00 – 10:00 p.m., Class dinners, various locations.

10 p.m., Late Night Gathering, Patio, Sloan Music Building,

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

8:30 and 11 a.m. Worship Services, Davidson College Presbyterian Church.

MORE INFORMATION

For the full reunion schedule, see the college website.

For non-college events, from the Davidson Farmer’s Market to local theater and music, check out DavidsonNews.net’s The Guide. And for a list of local restaurants, see our dining guide in Food & Dining.