Fourteenth annual Rutgers Day will be held in person tomorrow after 2-year hiatus

Rutgers Day, the University’s annual event for New Jersey residents, will take place in person this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m for the first time since before the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The event will take place across Busch Campus in Piscataway and the College Avenue, Cook and Douglass campuses in New Brunswick. It will offer approximately 500 free programs that will feature hands-on demonstrations, interactive activities and student performances, including cultural traditions and live bands, according to a press release. 

Patricia Kastner, associate director of the Office of Community Affairs, said planning the event to be in-person has been an exciting process after the two-year hiatus. All attendees will learn about the valuable contributions that the University makes to the surrounding community, she said.

“We invite all students to come out and enjoy Rutgers Day and to invite family and friends to show off what you love about being a Scarlet Knight,” she said. “You’ll see thousands of alumni and community members enjoying the programs.”

Kastner said that two highlights of the event include Ag Field Day, an event consisting of multiple demonstrations hosted by the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences on Cook campus, and the New Jersey Folk Festival, an event featuring folk music and culture on Douglass campus.

Kastner also said that the Office of Community Affairs took the lead in planning the logistics of the event but also collaborated with the University’s facilities maintenance services, Emergency Services, Dining Services, the Department of Transportation Services, Material and Logistical Services and the Rutgers University Police Department to carry out the event.

Various student clubs and organizations took part in planning exhibitions for Rutgers Day, as well, including the Allied Health Professions Club, Hindu Student Council, Educational Opportunity Program Student Association and Demarest Hall: Free Expression, a residence hall where attendees can do art projects with the student residents.

Steven Rosenstark, a School of Arts and Sciences junior and resident of Demarest Hall, said the residence hall has not participated in Rutgers Day for many years, but the residents are excited to welcome potential incoming residents from the event as well as engage the Rutgers community with drawing and painting activities.

“We have a pretty closely connected alumni network, and we love to hear stories from them about their time in (Demarest Hall) as we value our own history quite highly,” Rosenstark said. “We will be in the College Avenue (campus) Academic Building area.”

Kastner said Rutgers Day is an important event as it creatively shows off the strongest aspects of what Rutgers provides for the students and surrounding community through the talent of the student body. This will be the 14th year the event is held.

“I’m happy to say that we have hundreds of student organizations that participate in Rutgers Day,” she said. “They are proud to show off their talents not only with stage performances but in the creative ways they demonstrate what a Rutgers education can provide. I’ve heard from visitors that talking with students is one of their favorite things about Rutgers Day. It wouldn’t be Rutgers Day without them.”