FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2026
Contact: Cheryl Knauer
McDANIEL COLLEGE ANNOUNCES CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, PERFORMANCES, AND EXHIBITIONS FOR FALL 2026
McDaniel offers a variety of art, music, theatre, lectures, and other events, which are free and open to the public (unless otherwise noted)
McDaniel College offers a variety of art, music, theatre, lectures, and other events during the fall of 2026.
All events and exhibitions at McDaniel College are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. McDaniel College is located at 2 College Hill, Westminster, Maryland.
FALL 2026 SCHEDULE
* Denotes cost associated
Art Exhibition:
The Esther Prangley Rice Gallery is located in Peterson Hall at McDaniel College. Hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and Saturday, noon–5 p.m. For more information, visit www.mcdaniel.edu/rice-gallery or call 410-857-2595.
Bart Walter: Near and Far
Thursday, Aug. 27–Friday, Dec. 4
Opening reception: Thursday, Aug. 27. 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m., with a gallery talk at 6 p.m.
This solo exhibition includes bronze sculptures and drawings of wildlife by award-winning artist Bart Walter. Walter is based in Westminster, Maryland, and his work can be found in notable public and private collections worldwide, including the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, as well as the Carroll County Public Library’s Westminster branch and several Maryland universities.
Visiting Artist Lecture:
For more information, call 410-857-2595.
Visiting Artist Lecture: Scott Ponemone
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
McDaniel’s Art department presents a guest artist lecture by Scott Ponemone, a watercolor artist and wood engraver. During Ponemone’s over 40-year career, he has focused his work on two parallel explorations of human condition, exploring what it is to be human what human beings look like in the process, as well as on attempts by people to make sense of the chaotic and dangerous world they live in. For more information about Ponemone, visit www.scottponemone.com.
Music Concerts/Recitals:
For more information, visit www.mcdaniel.edu/music-events.
*Chamber Music on the Hill: “‘American Soundscapes: Music of the Americas’ A Celebration of America at 250!”
Sunday, Sept. 13, 3 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
The Embassy String Quartet, whose mission is to employ “music as cultural diplomacy,” performs works by Samuel Barber, Florence Price, Duke Ellington, and Antonín Dvořák’s “American” Quartet. The group is comprised of Russian violinists Nikita Borisevich and Veronika Sveshnikova, American violist Renate Falkner, and South African cellist Jacques-Pierre Malan. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and active military members and veterans, and free for children, as well as college students with valid ID. For more information, visit www.mcdaniel.edu/CMOTH.
Monday Night Music
Monday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
An evening of chamber music featuring flutist Meghan Shanley Alger, pianist Hexing Xiao, and McDaniel Music faculty member Tim Anderson on cello. The program consists of works by Bach, Rocherolle, and Haydn.
*Chamber Music on the Hill: Gerdan: “Kaleidoscope of World Music”
Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m.
Naganna Forum, Roj Student Center
Gerdan presents “Kaleidoscope of World Music,” an Eastern European multicultural music experience, including authentic folk music and original arrangements of classical compositions. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and active military members and veterans, and free for children, as well as college students with valid ID. For more information, visit www.mcdaniel.edu/CMOTH.
Student Solo Recital
Friday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m.
Recital Hall 101, Levine Hall
McDaniel College students perform vocal and instrumental solos.
McDaniel for the Holidays
Sunday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.
Baker Memorial Chapel
McDaniel College Music faculty members and community members perform a special seasonal concert.
College Choir & Green TerrorTones Concert
Sunday, Nov. 22, 7 p.m.
Baker Memorial Chapel
The McDaniel College Choir and the Green TerrorTones a cappella ensemble perform a variety of music spanning from classical to contemporary.
Student African Drum Ensembles
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m.
Naganna Forum, Roj Student Center
Students in McDaniel College’s Student African Drum Ensembles perform, under the direction of Senior Adjunct Lecturer Pape Demba “Paco” Samb.
Jazz Night
Thursday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, WMC Alumni Hall
Directed by Lecturer in Music Brian Frazier, the concert features diverse styles of jazz, including big band swing, bebop, Latin, funk, rock, and blues.
College Band Concert
Friday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, WMC Alumni Hall
Directed by Senior Lecturer Linda Kirkpatrick, the College Band performs musical selections by contemporary composers, including several holiday selections.
Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert
Saturday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, WMC Alumni Hall
Senior Lecturer Linda Kirkpatrick directs the orchestra, consisting of McDaniel and Carroll Community College students, as well as Music faculty and community musicians. The program includes musical selections by female composers with soloists.
Gospel Choir Concert
Sunday, Dec. 6, 3 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, WMC Alumni Hall
McDaniel College’s Gospel Choir performs traditional and contemporary gospel music along with spirituals and holiday favorites, under the direction of Senior Adjunct Lecturer Shelley Ensor and accompanied by Alice Dorsey.
Theatre Performances:
Performances are in WMC Alumni Hall. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students, seniors (over 60), active military members and veterans, as well as those with a McDaniel College ID. For ticket information, visit www.mcdaniel.edu/theatre-
*Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really
Thursday, Oct. 1–Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, WMC Alumni HallNote: The show contains adult material and is intended for mature audiences.
McDaniel College’s Theatre Arts department presents “Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really,” Kate Hamill’s darkly comic reimagining of the classic Bram Stoker novel about survival, systemic power, and ultimate revenge.
*Summer and Smoke
Thursday, Nov. 19–Saturday, Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, WMC Alumni HallNote: The show contains adult material and is intended for mature audiences.
McDaniel College’s Theatre Arts department presents “Summer and Smoke,” a psychological drama written by acclaimed American playwright Tennessee Williams, exploring the humor, heartbreak, and violence simmering just below the surface of small-town American life.
Lectures:
Constitution Day
Thursday, Sept. 17, 6 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
McDaniel College’s Department of Political Science and International Studies hosts the annual lecture in celebration of Constitution Day. Call 410-857-2552 for more information.
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Lecture
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Derrick Darby, the Henry Rutgers Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, presents “Hip Hop, Philosophy, and the (Broken) Social Contract,” drawing inspiration from Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Kendrick Lamar, and others. Email Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Jessica Ford at jford@mcdaniel.edu for more information.
Holloway Lecture
Monday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
A presentation by author and Virginia Commonwealth University English Professor Nicholas Frankel, a leading specialist on the poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. Call 410-857-2530 for more information.
Lumen Lecture
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m.
Coley Rice Lounge, McDaniel Hall
Emmy award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Slade, a 1988 alum of the college who teaches at McDaniel as a Communication and Cinema professor, delivers a lecture for McDaniel’s Lumen Scholars Program, an honors program that incorporates experiential learning and civic engagement, along with interdisciplinary courses. Slade is also the creator of the Mason-Dixon Surveyor, a hyper-local quarterly community newspaper published in Lineboro, Maryland. For more information, email lumen@mcdaniel.edu or call 410-857-2597.
*McDaniel Women’s Leadership Network
Thursday, Nov. 12, 6 p.m.
Cattail Creek Country Club, 3600 Cattail Creek Drive, Glenwood, Maryland
The McDaniel Women’s Leadership Network, an exclusive group of leaders focused on building connections and programs that support students and alumni, hosts this fall event in Howard County, Maryland, that is open to alumni, current students, and friends of the college. Advance registration is required by visiting www.mcdaniel.edu/mwln-event.
Admissions Events:
Register at www.mcdaniel.edu/visit-events or call 800-638-5005.
Graduate Program: Virtual Coordinator ConnectionsProspective students looking to advance their career can find out more about McDaniel’s 20-plus graduate master’s and certificate programs on select Wednesdays each month. McDaniel’s graduate programs are delivered primarily online or in a hybrid format and cater to working professionals, career changers, and others wanting to continue their education.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
Virtual
• Wednesday, Oct. 7, 5 p.m.
Virtual
• Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.
Virtual
Game Day Open House
Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.
On campus at McDaniel College
Experience McDaniel College’s Homecoming while learning more about what it means to be a Green Terror student-athlete.
Fall Open House
Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.
On campus at McDaniel College
Prospective undergraduate students are invited to begin their McDaniel journey. Learn how to navigate the college admissions and financial aid process, while meeting and mingling with campus representatives and current students.
Carroll County Scholars:
Carroll County Scholars Kickoff Events
Participants are officially welcomed into McDaniel College’s Carroll County Scholars program, which is open to Carroll County high school students and their families to receive free guidance and support as they navigate the college search process. Registration is required. Visit www.mcdaniel.edu/CCS for more information.
• Ninth Grade Kickoff
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 6 p.m.
Baker Memorial Chapel
• 11th Grade Kickoff
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m.
Baker Memorial Chapel
Others:
Green & Gold Challenge
Thursday, Oct. 1–Thursday, Oct. 8
Online or on campus
Give in support of McDaniel’s student-athletes. Visit www.mcdaniel.edu/green-gold-
*McDaniel College Athletics Hall of Fame Celebration
Friday, Oct. 2, 6 p.m.
Baker Memorial Chapel
McDaniel College’s Alumni Association honors alumni athletes who personify the college’s tradition of excellence with the Athletics Hall of Fame awards. Visit www.mcdaniel.edu/homecoming to purchase tickets or for more information.
McDaniel College Homecoming
Saturday, Oct. 3
Kenneth R. Gill Stadium
McDaniel College alumni, families, and friends are invited to cheer on the Green Terror during home athletic contests for men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, and football, while participating in McDaniel’s unique tailgating tradition. Learn more at www.mcdaniel.edu/homecoming (note: registration is required for some alumni-specific events).
Trick or Terror
Friday, Oct. 23, 7–8:30 p.m.
Kenneth R. Gill Stadium
Community members are invited to dress up for trick-or-treating and participate in fun activities with McDaniel’s athletic teams. For more information, visit www.mcdanielathletics.com.
*Parent and Family Weekend
Friday–Sunday, Nov. 6–8
Campus
Current McDaniel families are invited to join their students for special events and activities showcasing life on the Hill. Visitwww.mcdaniel.edu/PFWeekend for more information (note: registration is required for most events).
*Undergraduate Awards Ceremony and Parent and Family Weekend Brunch
Sunday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.–noon
Baker Memorial Chapel
Current McDaniel College seniors, juniors, and sophomores are honored for academic achievement and leadership during the culminating event for Parent and Family Weekend. Advance registration is required by visiting www.mcdaniel.edu/PFWeekend.
Veterans Day Ceremony
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m.
Baker Memorial Chapel
Veterans Day ceremony recognizing veterans within the McDaniel and local communities. For more information, call 410-857-2229.
Antennae, Tentacles, and Beyond: McDaniel Biology Fall Research Symposium
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1–4 p.m.
Eaton Hall Lobby
McDaniel Biology students present their research from fall semester course-based projects on ecology, marine symbiosis, entomology, antibiotic resistance, and more, including scientific posters. Call 410-857-2400 for more information.
# # #
Editor’s Note: Select images are available for download at https://tinyurl.com/
Additional information: Requests for ASL interpreters are welcome and should be made as soon as possible (two weeks prior to the event preferred) by contacting the specific event organizer. Other accommodation requests and questions can be directed to Conference Services at 410-857-2407.
Visitors are asked to adhere to all health and safety policies and regulations in effect at the time of the event.
