Alumni Day and Association Dinner 2024 – Recent graduates

Saturday 28 September 2024

Please note that the 'Recent graduate' category includes only those who graduated in 2018 or since. If you graduated in 2017 or before, you need to book here.

The offer for recent Downing graduates is to book for the Association Dinner and a single room on Saturday night for only £55. You are welcome to bring a guest, and to book rooms for Friday and Sunday nights, but these will be charged at the full price. (If your guest is also a recent Downing graduate who wants only to attend the dinner and stay in a single room on Saturday night, then they can also access the offer).

Alumni Day starts this year at 12.00, when registration opens in the Grace Howard Room. Many daytime events, and the Association Dinner, may be booked below, where you can also book your Alumni Weekend accommodation.

Please note, the closing date for all bookings, including accommodation, is Friday 6 September at 13.00.  

The programme for Alumni Day is given below.

From 12.00	Registration in the Grace Howard Room. Please collect your name badge to register. Complimentary tea and coffee will be available. Downing College Alumni Association merchandise will be on sale in The Grace Howard Room until 16.00.
12.00–13.30	Cafeteria Lunch, pay-as-you-dine, in the Hall. Service finishes promptly at 13.30. Please note that cash payments are not accepted in College; please pay by credit/debit card or Apple/Google Pay.
13.30–15.30	2024 is the 10th anniversary of the Downing College Chapel Organ installation. This event will start with a guided tour of the Chapel, led by The Revd Dr Keith Eyeons. This will be followed by an Organ demonstration by Louisa Denby, Director of Music, including an explanation of the craftmanship of the instrument and how it is used in Chapel services. Alumni and guests will then have an opportunity to try out the Organ for themselves! There will also be an exhibition in the antechapel by the College Archivist, detailing the organ-building process and giving an insight into the refurbishment of the Chapel in 2014. All welcome, but booking is encouraged to give an idea of expected numbers.
13.30–15.30	Curiosities and Treasures from the Library and Archive Special Collections Alumni and guests are invited to a very special exhibition from The Maitland Robinson Library’s Rare Books collection. This is a rarely available opportunity to view some of our treasures and members of the Library and Archive staff will be on hand to answer questions. In addition, we will be displaying selected ‘curiosities’ from the Archive collection, including artefacts donated by the family of Professor Kenny, which have never been on display before. All welcome. Please drop in. You may combine this event, with the event in the Chapel.
13.30–14.00 & 14:30-15:00	The Heong Gallery: We are sorry to inform you that The Heong Gallery talks, scheduled to take place on Saturday 28 September, have been cancelled. However, alumni and guests are very welcome to drop in to the Gallery to see the current exhibition, Alison Wilding RA: By the Mark - and the Line below the Loaf ,which has additional openings on 27 and 28 September between 12:00-17:00.
13.30–14.20	Wine Tasting Session 1 - New World vs Old World- How do modern 'interlopers' compare with stalwart favourites? A tasting of red and white wines that compare and contrast - in the Fleet Room with the Steward, Professor Chris Haniff. (Cost is £27.50 pp and pre-booking is essential. Max 17 places).
14.00–16.00	Coffee, tea and cake (complimentary) in the Grace Howard Room. All welcome, no need to book.
14.30–15.15	Tour of the College Gardens, covering the history of the gardens, future plans and interesting trees and plants, led by Jack Sharp, the Head Gardener, and Craig Gibson, the Deputy Head Gardener. Booking essential, meet in the Grace Howard Room (limited to 40 people in total).
14.50–15.40	Wine Tasting Session 2 - 'Sparkling wines from the Fellows' Cellar'. A tasting of some of the 'bubblies' presently used at College functions - in the SCR with the Steward, Professor Chris Haniff. (Booking essential, £27.50 per person, limited to 17 people).
16.00–17.00	Lecture in the Howard Theatre - 'Urban regeneration: how can we plan more inclusive cities?' Dr Stefania Fiorentino, Associate Professor in the Department of Land Economy and Downing Fellow in Land Economy, will provide an introduction to the concept of urban regeneration, explaining what it means and how good planning and local economic development policy can transform cities for the collective good. Followed by Q&A session. Please book in advance, so we have an idea of numbers. All welcome.
17.00–17.30	Downing College Alumni Association AGM in the Howard Theatre. All welcome, no need to book.
18.15–18.55	Choral Evensong with the Chapel Choir of Downing College in the College Chapel - guests to attend in black tie, then go straight to the drinks reception.
19.00–19.30	Pre-dinner drinks reception in the Grace Howard Room.
19.30–22.00	96th Association Dinner in the Hall. Dress code is black tie.
22.00-23.59	Bar in the Howard Building Drawing Room.

Refunds and cancellations

Please note that payments cannot be refunded after the closing date for bookings, Friday 6 September at 13.00. If you wish to cancel paid-for items before this date, we will refund your payment, less a £5 administration fee. See our Terms & Conditions here.

Weather permitting, we hope to open the Paddock for overflow parking for this weekend. Please follow instructions from the Porters when you arrive. If you require a disabled parking space, please inform us when booking and we will ask the Porters to reserve you a space.

Please note, you must log in to view the list of alumni signed up.

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THOSE Already registered for Association Dinner 2024

Please note that only Downing College alumni will be shown below - guests are not listed here - and your name will only appear in the directory once your booking has been processed during normal working hours. 

You can change the order to year of matriculation by clicking on the Matric. year heading.