The Office of Student Involvement (OSI) organized new and familiar experiences for Springfest Weekend 2026, with events running from Thursday, April 23, through Sunday, April 26. More than a dozen experiences occurred across the four days, ranging from senior traditions to new activities to Yung Gravy’s concert. Whether you were a senior savoring the last stretch of your years at Colgate University or a first-year novice, Springfest was a campus-wide celebration.
Thursday evening’s three events struck this balance of new and old. Broad Street Records hosted its first-ever Springfest Student Band Concert, “Music with a View,” over Peter’s Glen. At this new event, multiple on-campus bands performed covers and original music across a wide range of genres.
That same evening, seniors participated in Room Return, a tradition in which they revisit the dorms they lived in during their first and second years and connect with the current occupants. The event, held across campus in the residence halls, is designed to bridge class years and allow seniors to reminisce as their time at Colgate comes to an end.
Senior Stephanie Zuaznabar participated in the tradition and reflected on her experience returning to her first-year room in West Hall, drawing on her memory of the tradition from her first year.
“I didn’t think I’d get as emotional as I did stepping into my old room, but I really did make a lot of memories in my hall and the West staircase,” Zuaznabar said. “In terms of being on the other side of it, I remember being a [first-year] and two girls knocking on my door. I didn’t think anything about it at the time, except that I was grateful they left us special gifts, but three years later, I now understand why they cared enough to come back to their old dorm. It really makes you reminisce about all the good times on campus and how much of a menace everyone was [as a] first-year.”
Senior Sophia Boyd, who returned to Gate House, commented on the tradition of returning seniors together in their initial housing community.
“I forgot how distinct the smell of Gate House was, and also quickly it felt like freshman year again to be with the same people in the same place,” Boyd said.
Zuaznabar appreciated the tradition’s ability to bridge the gap between class years. She attested to her surprising similarities with a current first-year student, aside from their shared dorm room.
“I enjoyed passing down any wisdom I could gather for her,” Zuaznabar said. “We’re both international relations majors and share other interests, so I thought the parallels were kind of funny.”
The night ended with Senior Night in Frank Dining Hall. All senior attendees sported the iconic maroon “C” sweaters with their class year stitched on the back.
New and old events continued on Friday, April 24. New this year, the Springfest Lounge opened in the Clark Room of James C. Colgate Hall. The Lounge served as the weekend’s central hub, as students were able to pick up their free Springfest t-shirt, collect food tokens to use at Saturday’s food trucks, register guests for the concert and carnival, use a photobooth or play Mario Kart.
A Springfest Picnic ran from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the Academic Quad, co-hosted by Tea Club. Attendees could enjoy pastries from local bakery Flour & Salt alongside a variety of teas, a chance to decompress before finals, and before the weekend fully takes off.
Dancefest started at 6 p.m. at Colgate Memorial Chapel, where Colgate’s dance groups showcased performances themed around Y2K.
Performer and first-year Zoe Saperstein commented on the event’s ability to bring together different dance groups in a unifying celebration of hard work.
“Dancefest is a time where all different dance groups on campus get to come together and showcase their hard work to the rest of the campus,” Saperstein said. “It’s super fun!”
After Dancefest, a Karaoke Social went underway at Pink Haus beginning at 9:30 p.m., running until 11:30 p.m. The event, hosted with mocktails, celebrated community, dance and queer culture.
The evening additionally featured two new events: laser tag and silent disco. Rounding out the night, the Lights Out Party kicked off at 11 p.m. Hosted by the African Student Union, featuring the Caribbean Students Association, the Black Student Union, Sister of the Round Table, Latin American Student Organization (LASO), Brothers and Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC), the affair promised good music.
Saturday’s schedule was built around the tug-of-war game and Springfest carnival.
At 1 p.m., the Carnival opened at the Maroon Council Parking Lot, offering carnival rides, inflatable obstacles, mini-golf, caricature artists, lawn games and giveaways. Running concurrently, LASO x QTPOC hosted the fifth annual Carne Asada, a free community cookout.
Then, the weekend’s most anticipated event began: the Springfest Concert at Sanford Field House. Doors opened at 7:30 p.m. with food trucks available on-site while supplies lasted. Julius, a student rock band, opened the concert at 8 p.m. Headliner Yung Gravy, a Minneapolis-born rapper and internet sensation known for blending hip-hop with retro samples, performed at 9 p.m.
Senior Becca Hom, an OSI intern, expressed gratitude to everyone involved in organizing the weekend and reflected positively on its success, as it was her last Springfest.
“Watching the entire weekend unfold and being able to take part in it truly made my last Springfest so much more special, and I hope everyone who put the event together knows how much they are appreciated,” Hom said.
While several elements of this year’s Springfest Weekend were new, they offered additional activities for all class years and opportunities to participate in popular traditions. First-year Allison Shulman already eagerly awaits next year’s festivities.
“This was one of the most memorable weekends here,” Shulman said. “I can’t wait for next year.”
