Head of the Trent draws 1,700 rowers

The largest single day head race in North America returns to the city this weekend for Trent University’s homecoming.

The weekend of events include the regatta, campus tours, the grand opening of the new Student Centre, varsity sports games and alumni gatherings.

Festivities kick off with a women’s volleyball game at the Athletic Centre on Friday at 6 p.m.

An hour later, the grand opening of Trent’s new Student Centre takes place. There’ll be live music, student performances, interactive entertainment, and tours of the building from 7 to 9 p.m.

The centre is hub for students to study and engage in social, cultural and club activities. It houses classrooms, a cafe, the student union, an entrepreneurship centre, and Stone Hall

The 47th annual Head of the Trent rowing regatta starts Saturday at 8 a.m. It includes more than 430 boats and 1,700 athletes from more than 50 clubs and universities across Canada and the northern United States.

The university welcomes about 1,000 alumni from all decades to Trent’s homecoming each year.

It also draws athletes and friends, family and community members, packing the campus with nearly 5,000 people. Parking restrictions will be in effect for the 47th annual Homecoming and Head of the Trent Regatta weekend at Trent University:

Athletics Centre main parking lot F reduced to half capacity at 4:30 p.m.

Athletics Centre main parking lot F half capacity during the day. Closed fully to vehicles at 11 p.m. Vehicles still in the lot at that time will be towed at the owner’s expense. Lady Eaton College parking lot G” at half capacity during the day and closed fully to vehicles at 4:30 p.m.

Small lot in front of Athletics Centre (Lot D) is available for Athletics Centre parking. Athletics Centre parking also available in Lots O and P (north of

Thursday: Friday: Saturday:

“The weekend is about community and reconnecting with friends,” said Lee Hayes, director of alumni affairs at Trent.

Alumni welcome tents will be set up on the Bata Library Podium. There, former students can grab their alumni bracelet for some special perks, including a line bypass at the beer garden, access to the private alumni pub and 25 per cent off the bookstore.

The first 250 alumni to register at the tents will get a free 2017 Head of the Trent T-shirt.

In addition to the regatta, there’s also a ton of sports happening Champlain College) • • •

Saturday:

• • • Women’s Volleyball: Trent University vs Ryerson University at 6 p.m., Trent Athletics Centre (exhibition) Men’s Volleyball: Trent vs Fleming College at 8 p.m., Trent Athletics Centre (Exhibition) Men’s Rugby: Trent vs University of Waterloo at 7:30 p.m., Justin Chiu Stadium Rowing: All day event on the Otonabee River Women’s Lacrosse: Trent at University of Guelph at 8 a.m. Women’s Rugby: Trent vs Laurier at 10 a.m., Justin Chiu Stadium over the weekend, including lacrosse, rugby, volleyball and soccer.

Varsity games start Friday night and run Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Justin Chiu Stadium.

Campus tours for prospective students will run hourly on Saturday as well. They leave from the Athletics Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rower’s Beer Garden is open Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. It’ll be set up behind Lady Eaton College. There’ll be live music and food and that’s visitors can pick up this year’s Head of the • • • • •

Sunday:

• • Women’s Soccer: Trent vs UOIT at 1 p.m., Justin Chiu Stadium Women’s Volleyball: Trent vs Ryerson University at 3 p.m., Trent Athletics Centre (exhibition) Men’s Soccer: Trent vs UOIT at 3:15 p.m., Justin Chiu Stadium Men’s Volleyball: Trent vs Fleming College at 5 p.m., Trent Athletics Centre (exhibition) Men’s Lacrosse: Trent vs Bishops University at 6:30 p.m., Justin Chiu Stadium Women’s Lacrosse: Trent vs McMaster University at 9:45 a.m. at University of Guelph Trent University vs Brock University at 3 p.m. at University of Guelph Trent mug.

On Saturday night, there’s a Trent Rugby Booster Club fundraiser at the Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club in Nicholls Oval park at 8:30 p.m. It’s for rugby alumni and in support of the men’s varsity rugby team. The club’s coordinator, Caleb Smith, is getting the Spirit of Trent Alumni Award for work with the club. That’s happening Friday at Justin Chui Staduim at 7:15 p.m.

NOTE: For more information on the Head of the Trent Regatta, visit www.trentu.ca/hotr/ p.m., SMCSS @ TASSS; LCVI @ SPCSS (jr); CSS @FFSS p.m., IEW @ SPCSS (sr), ASCVI @ HCCSS (sr) p.m. HCCSS @ ASCVI (sr/jr)

p.m., OHL Hockey, Oshawa Generals vs. Peterborough Petes, Memorial Centre SPCSS @ LCVI; NDHS @ SMCSS; STASS @ CCI p.m., IEW @ CSS; KCVI @ HCCSS p.m., FFSS @ CSS (sr/jr) p.m., NDHS @ TASSS (jr) p.m., SPCSS @ TASSS (sr)

p.m., TASSS @ IEW, ASCVI @ CCI, LCVI @ SMCSS (sr), HCCSS @ HHSS