Wednesday, September 28, 2022, Peterborough 

Students, alumni and members of the community are invited to don their green and white for a milestone celebration – the 50th annual Alumni Homecoming and Head of the Trent Regatta at Trent University.   

This year’s celebration, the first in-person event in three years, includes a festival stage with live entertainment and musical performances, special unveilings, the kick-off of Otonabee College’s 50th anniversary, varsity games and, of course, rowing.  

“We’re thrilled to have this annual celebration back in person, in time to celebrate 50 years of Alumni Homecoming and Otonabee College. This exciting fall tradition has something for everyone to enjoy during one of the most scenic times of the year,” says Lee Hays ’91, director of Alumni & Donor Engagement. “In addition to rowing and varsity games, all colleges are open and look forward to welcoming their alumni back to campus.” 

Homecoming & Head of the Trent is the longest-running alumni event in University’s history. It is estimated that over 20,000 alumni have returned to campus over the last 50 years to reconnect with classmates, cheer on athletes, and celebrate the special Trent experience.  Over the past 50 years, Alumni Homecoming has grown to include something for everyone, and now boasts special online events for alumni across the globe to participate as well. 

One of Trent’s longest-standing traditions, Homecoming and reflect the University’s connection with the broader community, its longstanding partnership with the Peterborough Rowing Club, and the deep affinity alumni and their families feel for the school. All events are free to participants and spectators and free parking is available on Trent’s East Bank via East Bank Drive. With a full slate of on-campus events, the University is encouraging those attending homecoming to celebrate safely and be good neighbours, both on- and off-campus.  

Rowing regatta and varsity games  

The first HOTR regatta was organized in 1971 by Chris Leach ’70, founder of the Trent University Rowing Club. Over the years, the head-race regatta, now hosted by the Peterborough Rowing Club, has grown to become the region’s premier fall rowing event, attracting thousands of athletes from across Ontario, Quebec, and the northern United States. Head of the Trent is also the only university homecoming event in Canada that revolves around rowing and attracts visitors to Peterborough & the Kawarthas from across the country. 

Known by the acronym “HOTR,” the weekend is organized in partnership between Trent University, Peterborough Rowing Club, Trent University Rowing Club, and Peterborough Community Police. This year’s two-day regatta starts at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday with university class races, with juniors and masters races taking place on Sunday. Visit trentu.ca/hotr for a full schedule of events, and hotr.ca for more details about the regatta, you can also see live results of the regatta online.  

This weekend will also be a joy for sport fans, with a full state of Excalibur varsity games at the Justin Chiu Stadium. Games kick off on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. with Excalibur Women’s Rugby, continuing on Saturday with Excalibur Women’s Soccer at 12:00 p.m., Men’s Soccer at 2:15 p.m., and Men’s Rugby at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, the Excalibur Men’s Soccer game is rounding out the weekend at 1:00 p.m. All varsity games will be live-streamed on OUA TV. 

Follow @TrentUniversity and @rowhotr and use #HOTR on social media for photos and updates throughout the weekend. 

Highlights of the 50th anniversary Homecoming & Head of the Trent Regatta include:  

• Special experiences for Trent alumni: Trent alumni are encouraged to visit the Alumni Homecoming Welcome Area at the Bata Library Podium enjoy the perks available for Trent grads and pick up commemorative merchandise. 

• Connect with the colleges: Social fires at Gzowski, a movie screening with Champlain, a musical dedication with LEC and the traditional scarfing ceremony at Traill, are a few of the events the colleges are hosting. A Bleed Green Brunch celebrating Otonabee’s 50th year is definitely one not to be missed.  

• Live music all day at the Festival Stage (including performances from I, the Mountain, Washboard Hank and Reverend Ken, Shahrazi, Michelle Prins and the Peterborough Academy of Circus Arts) and attend the Alumni pub gathering in the Ceilie. Stay connected by following @TrentAlumni. 

• Rowing, rowing and more rowing: Visit hotr.ca or follow @rowhotr for the full rowing schedule, start times, results and more information about the history of the regatta. 

• Varsity games: Stop by the Justin Chiu Stadium and the Athletics Centre, wear your Trent green and cheer on the Excalibur. Follow @TrentExcalibur for up-to-the-minute stats, highlights, and photos throughout the day.  

• Family zone: Crafts, games, and face painting for the kids at Justin Chiu Stadium. 

• Free buses will be dropping students off at Parkhill & George and the Simcoe Street bus terminal to help everyone get to and from campus safely. 

• Rower’s Fundraising Beer Garden: Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., located in Lot G behind Lady Eaton College. Enjoy live music and food, collect this year's Head of the Trent mug and support rowing at Trent and in Peterborough. Alumni with a Homecoming Alumni Wristband can access the fast-track line.