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Hall Traditions & Events

Hall Traditions & Events

Dawgtoberfest

Man in a gray hat with striped band, white shirt, and brown suspenders grills sausages, smoke rising from the grill.

Every fall, we put on Dawgtoberfest, a fun fall festival that is our signature event, during a home football weekend that raises money for the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh. The Dawgs serve up brats, cider, and soft pretzels. We play German music and have a dunk tank so that visitors can “Dunk a Dawg.” All for a good cause!

Dawg Jog

Every year, the Dawgs take over the entire South Quad and take turns passing the bone to runners who run in shifts around South Quad for 24 hours. Some Dawgs stay up all night cheering the runners on and passing out water to keep thirsty Dawgs hydrated. This event raises money for the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh and shows the true spirit of Alumni Hall.

Smiling young men, some shirtless or in swimsuits, run on an autumn path. One holds a green flag; two wear Alumni Hall shirts.

The Quance

Every Friday before a home football game at 12:31 PM, the Dawgs run out onto South Quad dressed in silly costumes and engage in a dance routine called the "Quance," short for "quad dance." It usually attracts a large crowd who come to see the Dawgs dance. It is an expression of our goofiness and our hall spirit as we gear up for a home football weekend!

A group of Notre Dame students in colorful, playful costumes, like a lifeguard and shark, point forward on a sunny campus lawn.

Quad Sits

The Alumni Dawgs are noted for their lively and spirited quad sits, where they take over the South Quad lawn in front of Alumni Hall to engage in various activities, such as spikeball, football, or “quaccer.” Whether just chilling out on the quad, listening to music, or tossing a frisbee, the Dawgs can often be seen at play on South Quad.

Male students in green Alumni Hall shirts play soccer on a sunny grassy lawn; one skillfully juggles a white and orange ball.

Rivalry Week

The rivalry between Alumni Hall and Dillon Hall is one of the most storied rivalries on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. During rivalry week, the men of Alumni Hall face off with the men of Dillon Hall in various competitions such as dodgeball, Smash Bros., and a banana-eating contest to prove our dominance over our “little brother.”

A man instructs a group of male students on a Notre Dame campus sidewalk. Balls & cones are on the ground. Fall foliage, brick buildings.

Parents Weekend

This year, Alumni Hall begins a new tradition by hosting a Parents Weekend. It will take place on the weekend of October 9th through October 11th (Notre Dame vs. Stanford). It will start with the Quance on Friday afternoon, a BBQ in the Alumni Courtyard on Friday evening, the game and game day festivities on Saturday, and a 9AM Sunday Mass in Alumni Hall followed by brunch in the Morris Inn ballroom. We look forward to forging this new tradition in our beloved hall that we hope will continue for years to come.

Fall SYR Dance

Each fall, Alumni Hall hosts an SYR dance with our sister hall. This past year, we had a tent dance on South Quad with the theme “God, Country, Notre Dame,” which inspired various costumes that connected to the possible themes suggested. The Dawgs danced the night away with their dates, and sweet and savory treats, including pizza and cookies, were in plentiful supply.

Nine smiling students, some in patriotic attire and one as Lady Liberty, under colorful disco lights and US flag bunting.

Ho! Ho! Ho! That's a lotta lights Christmas Lights Competition

Every year at Christmastime, Alumni Hall takes decking the halls quite literally with a friendly lights competition between sections, judged by one of our many affiliated women’s halls on campus. The halls are filled with the sound of Christmas music, the sight of Dawgs putting up lights, and the smell of hot chocolate in the air. It is a fun and festive way to end the semester and destress before finals.

Four students sing from sheet music in a festive hallway decorated with colorful string lights and an inflatable.

Candlelight Mass

One of our most sacred traditions is our annual Candlelight Mass. Our community gathers for our final Dawg Mass of the fall semester, where we worship together, pray together, and celebrate together. It is a beautiful expression of our brotherhood and community.

A priest in purple and gold vestments leads a candlelit Advent service for students in a Notre Dame chapel with a red ceiling.

Spring Formal

Notre Dame students in formal wear dance under vibrant green lighting at a residential hall formal, one raises hands in a colorful hat.

Alumni Hall hosts its Spring Formal in the Dahnke Ballroom overlooking Notre Dame Stadium. For the past several years, we have joined with Lyons Hall for our Spring Formal. It is a festive night full of fun!

Clash Week

In the spring semester sections compete against one another during Clash Week in a spirit of fun and friendly rivalry. Events include trivia, a South Quad sprint, and pickleball.

Two young men play pickleball in a Notre Dame gym. One in blue prepares to hit a yellow ball; another in a Notre Dame shirt awaits.

Wake Week

During the spring semester, Alumni Hall hosts its favorite event: Wake Week. It is a week shrouded in tradition dating back to 1980, when it started under Fr. George Rozum. Since then, generations of Dawgs have experienced this very spirited week, which is finally unshrouded to freshmen. All Dawgs agree it is one of their favorite Alumni Hall traditions.

Random Fun

In addition to the many regular hall events that mark the academic year, there are several other opportunities for fun and fellowship throughout the year, including laser tag, outdoor movies with our sister hall, and a trip to the South Bend Cubs. We also have our own weekly food sales Sunday through Thursday through our student-run Dawg Pizza, as well as section dinners, cookouts, and ice cream socials. And we have multiple hall tournaments throughout the year, including a chess tournament, a pool tournament, a ping-pong tournament, and Alumni Assassins.