Columbia College Chicago takes great pride in establishing a community for its students. One of the best times to experience that community first-hand, as a student or not, is during Columbia Weekend. Taking place October 20^th and 21^st, Columbia invites students to take part in a number of performances, art displays, and social gatherings throughout the South Loop.

Columbia Weekend begins with the WAC Crawl on Friday at 4 pm. For those who may not know, WAC stands for the Wabash Arts Corridor—a massive display of public art spread across Columbia’s campus on S. Wabash Avenue. The WAC Crawl is a free, public event featuring exhibitions, performances, and events at street level alongside the massive murals that illustrate the area. Click here for more information about the art and artists that will be contributing to the WAC Crawl.

Columbia Weekend is for more than just students. All family and friends are invited to campus to get a look at what is being done at Columbia. On Saturday, family and friends will get a chance to meet with faculty and discuss what goes on in the classroom. There is also an opportunity to meet with President Kim at the President’s Reception.

Columbia will be holding unique Maker Sessions all around campus. Visitors will have a chance to interact with a huge number of student organizations with an experience in one of more than twenty workshops. You can make Halloween masks, write stories through a guided workshop, participate in a family fitness program, or even paint your own mural. Though registration is closed, you can see a full list of these programming events here.

Columbia Weekend concludes with the Arts in the Dark Parade. On Saturday night starting at 6pm, Columbia will join a number of world-renown institutions from all around Chicago—such as the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—for a march down Columbus Drive along side Lake Michigan. The parade focuses on using Halloween as an “artists’ holiday” to fully display the creative spirit that Columbia helps foster. Click here for more information.

Whether you have signed up for specific activities to do with your family or if you just want to observe the festivities with your friends, Columbia Weekend has something to offer for nearly everyone. Click here for more information on the Columbia Weekend.

La Magia de Luzia by Gloria “Gloe” Talamantes (photography by Daniel Livingstone)

Students and families attending a gallery opening at WAC Crawl 2016.