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Fall Fest 2010 began Thursday as families and students came together away from home and were welcomed to the university. Continuing until Monday, Fall Fest will offer a variety of activities, such as classes, sports games and a variety show featuring a collection of a cappella performances and dance ensembles.

The theme for 2010’s Fall Fest is “travel,” and Brandeis will highlight an international scene as it showcases itself to parents and alumni. Thursday night saw musical performances by Senegalese griot-drummer Lamine Touré and his band, Group Saloum, in the Shapiro Campus Center just before the early bird welcome and registration began.

Classes to be visited include a selection of 140 open classes for parents to attend, and Ollie the Owl, the school mascot, will be available to commemorate the family visit all day Friday.

Several presentations, including one on study abroad, one entitled “Real children, imagined schools: Why we need teachers who make things up,” and a forum on United States health care reform, with be given before a meet-and-greet for families, faculty and staff at the university-wide reception.

Hillel’s Shabbat dinner and Oneg will accompany Shabbat services as part of the festival for Jewish families.

“A Walk on the Boardwalk,” in Sherman Function Hall, will feature what the university is calling a Brandeis version of Atlantic City, with card playing and a comedy juggler.

Faculty and staff will meet with students and families at “Croissants and Conversations,” a “relaxed atmosphere that is good for parents to see the more academic side of Brandeis,” said Fall Fest Core Committee member Jessica Preis ’13.

During the course of the day, Fall Fest will offer a tour of the Freedom Trail in Boston, and presentations from a range of professors, followed by a display of Brandeis’ student talent at the Fall Fest Variety Show in the Levin Ballroom.

Fall Fest 2010 is athletically focused, as well. Both the men and women’s soccer teams have home games this weekend as they go head-to-head with Carnegie Mellon. A range of games on Saturday will follow shortly thereafter, featuring women’s volleyball against Case Western University, and later against New York University. Finally, women’s volleyball team will play on Sunday as they compete against Emory and against Carnegie Mellon.

Sunday will also feature Brandeis’ new Quidditch team as they play against Tufts in the university team’s first intercollegiate game.

The festivities were planned by the the Fall Fest Core Committee, led by Director of Student Activities Stephanie Grimes and her associate, Nicole Chabot-Wieferich, is comprised of eight students. Yulia Mints ’11, Fina Amarilio ’12, Emily Kraus ’12, Kevin Monks ’13, Jessica Preis ’13, Adam Richman ’11, Emily Shihang Wang ’13 and Xi Zhang ’12, have been working since last March to develop and perfect the selection of events for Fall Fest 2010. Student Events has also been working alongside the Fall Fest Core Committee to prepare Brandeis’ campus for the arrival of several hundred families.

Marketing Coordinator Jessica Preis said this year’s travel theme emerged when the Core Committee first met last year. “We tried to find things that would be appealing to parents from around the world, while still being professional. Travel is something everyone can relate to.”