Students and Businesses Prepare for Junior Parents Weekend

In preparation for Junior Parents Weekend, the College and Cambridge are abuzz with activity to welcome parents who have traveled from near and far to get a taste of their children’s Harvard life.

The annual tradition brings parents of junior undergraduates to campus for a weekend full of programming, showcasing elements of students’ academic and extracurricular life. The slate of events includes open houses, museum tours, House receptions, faculty presentations, various performances, and even a jogging tour of campus.

As the weekend approaches, juniors have different plans for how to make the most of their parents’ brief visit.

Pietro Galeone ’17, whose parents flew from Italy for an extended weekend, plans to explore different types of restaurants with them.

“My parents like to eat a different kind of food every time, so I think we’ll go from cuisine to cuisine,” Galeone said.

Other students, like Maximilian G. Seuss ’17, hope to venture into Boston. Seuss also plans to attend performances on campus put on by a variety of student groups, such as an improv comedy show.

Beyond the College, the city of Cambridge will also be affected this weekend, with many hotels and restaurants preparing for an influx of visitors. The College has coordinated with various hotels—including the Marriott Courtyard Boston Cambridge, the Boston Marriott Cambridge, and the Hyatt Regency Cambridge—to secure special rates for visiting parents.

Managers of hotels around Harvard Square said they expect the weekend to be busier than usual. Stanley W. Martin, general manager at the Marriott Courtyard Boston Cambridge, said Harvard parents have already booked around 30 rooms at the hotel.

Owners of Square restaurants, including Henrietta’s Table, and Legal Sea Foods, said they are expecting a similar uptick in business over the weekend. Andrew J. D’Alessandro, a manager of the Italian restaurant Toscano, said the restaurant is fully booked with reservations for the weekend, and its menu will feature some of its more popular dishes.

For students whose parents will not be coming, such as Matthew P. Browne ’17, this weekend will be like any other. Browne, who said his parents’ busy schedules did not permit them to visit, hopes to spend time with them soon.

“I’m fine with hanging out with them any weekend, even if it’s not Parents Weekend,” he said.