Gateway’s 4th Annual Homecoming Weekend runs October 18 – 20 and is offering new and improved events that are open to current and former students, staff, parents and community members!

Our kick-off Homecoming Dinner has moved from Thursday to Friday evening (October 18) this year and continues to be hosted by Chester Common Table (30 Main Street, Chester) through their “Dine to Donate” program. Moving to Friday evening will allow diners to also enjoy live music by Ray Mason. A percentage of food ordered that night will be donated to the Gateway Education Foundation.

Also Friday evening includes a Family Movie Night, hosted at Gateway by the Class of 2020. Families are invited at 5:30 p.m. for face painting, games and snacks. At 6:30 p.m., everyone is invited into the Gateway Performing Arts Center for a showing of Hotel Transylvania, rated pg. There is no cost to attend, but donations for the senior class will be gratefully accepted.

Saturday is full of active events including the 4th Annual Homecoming 5K Road Race, a historic canoe/kayak tour of Littleville Lake, and our Annual Alumni Soccer Game. The road race (known locally as ‘That Dam Race’) invites area runners of all abilities to challenge themselves on Gateway’s home cross-country course, which includes running up the road that goes up the back of Littleville Dam, and on roads and trails through the woods and along the water of Littleville Lake. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. in the Gateway parking lot, and runners will walk to the starting point of the race at 9 a.m. (or as soon as all racers are registered). This is a service project of the Gateway Girls X-C Team; there is no fee to take part, but donations to the Gateway Education Foundation will be gratefully accepted at registration. There will also be Tech T-shirts for sale for $25.

Join the Gateway Outdoor Club as alumnus Jeff Penn leads a historic canoe/kayak tour of Littleville Lake. Bring your boat to the Littleville Boat Launch at noon. This event runs from noon to 2 p.m. and is free of charge, but donations to the Gateway Outdoor Club are welcome.

Our Annual Alumni Soccer Game will be held under the lights on Booster Field at 7 p.m. The Gator Shack will be open! (Plans are in the works for a co-ed scrimmage of current high school players preceding the Alumni Game – please stay tuned for details on that!)

On Sunday, former band directors Kevin McAvoy and Paul Sawyer will join current director Beth Guertin in another Alumni Band event! Coffee hour and warm up starts at 9 a.m. and lunch will be provided at noon. Rehearsals will run mid morning and after lunch. The Alumni Band Concert will be offered at 4 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Admission is free but donations will be accepted at the door for the music program. Music will be emailed to those who register in advance, using the “quicklink” on the Gateway website (www.grsd.org).