December 8, 2010 – New College of Florida today announced a detailed schedule for its 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend, February 11-13, 2011. Students, alumni, staff, faculty, parents, visitors and the entire community are invited to share in the celebration, which will take place in various locations on New College’s campus, 5800 Bay Shore Road in Sarasota.
To celebrate 50 years of innovation in higher education, the campus will be bustling with a wide range of activities, including mini-classes taught by current and retired faculty members; panel discussions featuring prominent alumni; student presentations and performances; campus tours and history exhibits. There will be open houses and exhibits at the Pritzker Marine Biology Research Center, Caples Performing Arts Complex, New College Public Archaeology Laboratory and other campus facilities.
Highlights of the weekend include a festive Celebration on the Bay concert featuring the Sarasota Orchestra and the showing of a new documentary on New College produced by alumnus Josh Tickell, an award-winning filmmaker. Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the day, provided by Gold Coast Eagle Distributors and a variety of North Trail vendors.
Nearly 1,000 alumni are expected to attend the anniversary weekend celebration, which is also the New College Alumnae/i Association’s Reunion Weekend.
All events are open to the public, and most of them are free. A Tribute Dinner at The Ritz-Carlton on February 11 is a fundraising event to enhance the academic excellence of New College; the cost is $250 per person. A sunset reception hosted by Mattison’s Restaurant from 5-7 pm on Saturday, February 12, is priced at $10 in advance and $15 at the door, plus cash bar. All other events are free.
Funding support for the weekend has been provided by corporate sponsors and Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.
For information about all events planned for New College of Florida’s Anniversary Weekend, call 941-487-4888, email [email protected] or visit 50th Anniversary Weekend Schedule of Activities.
New College 50th Anniversary Weekend Highlights
February 11: New College 50th Anniversary Tribute Dinner
The Ritz-Carlton, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota, at 6:30 pm
A formal dinner to honor and celebrate the first 50 years of New College will be held at The Ritz-Carlton. This is the signature fundraising event for the anniversary. Tickets are $250 per person or $500 per couple. Those who give over $2,500 to New College’s 1960 Society receive two complimentary tickets. For reservations and information, contact Brittany White at the New College Foundation, 941-487-4685. More information: 50th.ncf.edu.
February 11 & 12: New College at 50 Festival
New College Campus, 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, from 10 am – 5 pm
The New College at 50 Festival will include open houses, student and faculty presentations and performances, mini-classes, panel discussions, student art exhibits, history displays, open houses, campus tours and a showing of a special documentary on the history and future of New College. All events are free and open to the public. More information: 50th.ncf.edu.
February 12: New College 50th Anniversary Weekend:
Free Concert Featuring the Sarasota Orchestra & Fireworks
College Hall Bay Front, 351 College Drive, Sarasota, at 7 pm
New College’s gift to the community, the Celebration on the Bay concert will feature the Sarasota Orchestra led by Leif Bjaland and the premiere of a new composition by New College alumnus Silas Durocher, followed by performances by the band Beatlemania and fireworks over Sarasota Bay. Paul Wolfe, conductor laureate of the Sarasota Orchestra and founder of both the New College Summer Music Festival and the New College String Quartet (now the Sarasota Music Festival and the Sarasota String Quartet), will conduct a movement of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 – the same piece he conducted at the dedication of the campus in 1962. This event is free and open to the public.
The concert will be preceded by a sunset reception hosted by Mattison’s Restaurant. Food is $10 in advance and $15 at the door, plus cash bar. Reservations can be made online, or call 941-487-4800 for more information.
For more information visit on New College’s 50th Anniversary visit 50th.ncf.edu/.
To see a schedule of our Anniversary weekend visit 50th Anniversary Weekend Schedule of Activities