Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
March 04, 2002
College Royal ready to roll
The University of Guelph will "Let the Good Times Roll" at its annual College Royal weekend March 16 and 17. The 78th th annual open house weekend -- the largest of its kind in Canada -- will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Started in 1925 as a livestock-showing competition, College Royal has grown to become a perennial attraction. It now involves some 3,000 volunteers and attracts more than 25,000 visitors to campus.
This year's open house features a combination of traditional favourites such as teddy bear surgery, a "new" Old MacDonald's farm and chemistry magic shows, as well as new attractions such as a robotics competition and a "Harry Potter" planting session. Another College Royal tradition is the annual Curtain Call musical production, with this year's company performing Guys and Dolls March 14 to 16 in War Memorial Hall.
The weekend will also feature numerous displays and activities by student clubs and individual departments, live surgery at the Ontario Veterinary College, tours of the Wild Bird Clinic, synchronized swimming performances and dog and cat shows.
Also scheduled are a number of team events, including a tug-of-war, pie throw, egg toss, square dance competition, and a pancake-flipping contest. In addition, a lecture series will run hourly throughout the weekend, featuring talks on a variety of issues and subjects being studied at the University.
A complete listing of all College Royal events and activities is available on the Web at www.collegeroyal.uoguelph.ca. Programs are also available on campus and at numerous locations throughout the city.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs, 519-824-4120, Ext. 3338.
