One of Northwest Georgia’s longest-running college traditions returns this fall as Berry College prepares to welcome generations of Vikings back to campus for Mountain Day Weekend, October 2-4, 2026.

Registration is now open for the annual celebration, which serves as Berry College’s homecoming and commemorates the birthday and legacy of college founder Martha Berry.

Mountain Day has been a Berry tradition for more than a century. According to the college, the celebration traces its roots to the early 1900s and grew out of gatherings associated with Martha Berry and her students. College historical records note that Berry was holding picnics for students on the mountain campus by 1914. Over time, the occasion developed into the Mountain Day celebration that brings students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends together each October.

Martha Berry founded the Boys Industrial School in 1902, beginning what would eventually develop into Berry College. Her educational philosophy combined academics with meaningful work and was originally intended to provide educational opportunities for young people from rural areas who otherwise might not have been able to afford an education.

Berry College says Mountain Day remains both a celebration of its founder’s birthday and its version of homecoming.

At the heart of Mountain Day is the Grand March, one of Berry’s most recognizable traditions. Held on the Mountain Campus, students join together in an elaborate procession while family members, alumni and other members of the Berry community gather to watch.

The Grand March has traditionally included a birthday offering honoring Martha Berry. Students historically contributed an amount corresponding with their age, with those gifts benefiting the Martha Berry Memorial Endowment Fund.

Another popular part of the weekend is Marthapalooza, Berry’s Saturday-night carnival featuring entertainment and activities for students. Mountain Day Weekend traditionally also includes reunions, athletic events, student activities, gatherings and opportunities for alumni to reconnect with classmates and the campus.

The 2026 celebration will begin Friday, October 2. Berry’s official academic calendar designates October 2 for Mountain Day activities, with no classes after 2 p.m., while Saturday, October 3, is officially designated Mountain Day.

This year’s message to alumni emphasizes the multigenerational nature of the celebration: whether it has been five years or 50 since their time at Berry, former students are being invited to “come back home to Berry.”

For many alumni, Mountain Day is more than a traditional homecoming. It is an annual connection between Berry’s earliest students, today’s Vikings and the generations who have passed through the college during its more than 120-year history.

Mountain Day Weekend 2026 will be held October 2-4 at Berry College in Rome.