Not even the wind and rain could put a damper on Homecoming Weekend 2015. Setting a record for attendance, more than 300 alumni from 11 classes returned on Oct. 23-24 to celebrate their milestone anniversaries.

“Homecoming 2015 clearly demonstrated that the Queen's spirit is truly alive and well,” says Ottawa resident David Hill, CM, QC, Law’65 (Arts’62).

This year’s festivities kicked off with two events on Oct. 23. Members of Law’75 played 18 holes of golf at Smuggler’s Glen in Gananoque in a tournament named in memory of their classmate Fred Delaney. That evening, graduates from all years gathered at the Grad Club, where they reconnected with old friends and made new ones.

The next morning, they toured the recently co-located Queen’s Law Clinics in downtown Kingston and met student caseworkers. “The tour brought back many good memories of working at Queen's Legal Aid,” says Suzanne Duncan, Law’85, who made the trip from Whitehorse, Yukon. “The new clinic space in the Lasalle Mews is impressively professional. The students' enthusiasm was evident!”

Hill agrees, calling the Queen’s Law Clinics a “very impressive display of education and community service wrapped in one.”

Some graduates braved the inclement weather to watch the afternoon football game between the Queen’s Gaels and Laurier Golden Hawks at Richardson Stadium. They also took part in an age-old Queen’s tradition at half-time of the Homecoming game: marching around the field with their class, being cheered on by current students. “High-fiving students as I circled the Richardson Stadium field was an incredibly uplifting experience,” says Hill, who joined the university’s distinguished Tricolour Guard as part of his 50th anniversary reunion. “It drove home that today's students genuinely welcome and respect the students of a half-century earlier.”

Later in the afternoon, Dean Bill Flanagan gave a presentation in Macdonald Hall on new developments at the school before guests toured the upgraded facilities with current students. “Sir John A. Macdonald Hall is a wonderful facility as its most recent iteration will give students a wonderful place to learn,” says Hill. “I felt, upon re-visiting the law school and touring the clinics that Queen's Law has been in good hands throughout as it has grown not just in size but in quality and community service.”

Remembering one’s law school days is an important part of the reunion weekend. In a new initiative this year, several alumni took the opportunity during the tours to record their favourite law student memories on video. Excerpts of the recordings will be available in Queen’s Law Reports Online published in January.

Good times continued to be had by all as alumni filled the Law Library for a cocktail reception before heading to their individual class dinners. “It was interesting to see the variety of paths people have taken with their law degree,” says Duncan. “It was also great to hear about people's families and to meet some of the next generation who are currently at Queen's carrying on the tradition!”

Reconnecting with classmates was also a highlight for graduates celebrating their 45th anniversary reunion, says Alf Peneycad, Law’70, who now lives in Calgary. “Everybody had such a good time that now we’re talking about our 50th and how we’re going to make it the biggest one of all."