World-class performers to join Bicentennial celebrations

Grammy and Emmy Award-winning entertainer Harry Connick, Jr. will perform at the Bicentennial Ball Oct. 10 on the Quad. This invite-only Ball will be a celebration of the Bicentennial year, with an eye forward to Lafayette’s third century. Alongside Connick’s performance, guests will celebrate 200 years of history through storytelling, food, drink, and connection with other members of the Lafayette community.

Questlove—Academy Award-winning filmmaker, drummer, DJ, producer, director, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, and member of The Roots, Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group—will be performing a DJ set at Lafayette College’s Student Bicentennial Ball Oct. 16. One of the many events held in honor of Lafayette’s 200th anniversary in 2026, the Student Bicentennial Ball is designed especially for Lafayette students to connect with classmates, indulge in five-star food, and dance the night away in celebration of the College’s historic milestone.

Darius Rucker—Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, philanthropist, and New York Times bestselling author, and member of iconic rock band Hootie & the Blowfish—will be performing Nov. 20 as part of Homecoming Weekend, the on-campus conclusion of Lafayette College’s Bicentennial in fall 2026. While details of the finale are still taking shape, one thing is certain: Rucker’s headline performance will bring the yearlong celebration to an unforgettable close. This event is for the entire Lafayette College community, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and friends of the College.

As announced at the end of last year, renowned award-winning songwriter, actor, producer, and bestselling author Leslie Odom, Jr. will perform at the Bicentennial New York Holiday Party Dec. 10. The 2026 holiday party will be held at New York Public Library’s flagship location, the majestic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan.