Krewe du Ware is one of our most anticipated and exciting community traditions. Each year, on the weekend before Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, we host the best Mardi Gras celebration on campus right outside our main entrance, on the Ware Lawn. Starting early in the fall semester, a team of students led by the Commons Council produces this event that is open to all who wish to attend. In the past, Krewe du Ware has boasted an attendance of 500 and continues to grow. From our crawfish boil to the live jazz band and street performers, KDW has something for everyone to enjoy. This whimsical, large-scale event also includes a royalty competition and many Mardi Gras activities, all designed and planned by student leaders in our community. It truly is the event of the season.

Every Sunday evening, the Ware Community looks forward to joining the Graybills' weekly, informal celebration called Salon. Community members come together to gather in the FiR apartment for fellowship, community and food. Prior to Salon, a small group of dedicate students cook and bake the food for the event. Whether you are an expert chef or want to learn your way around the kitchen, all students are welcome to come early to help prepare. Salon itself is a time for the community to casually enjoy the company and camaraderie of others in our community.

Conclave (Latin for “gathering”) is our first Ware tradition of the year shared among incoming Ware Fellows and Affiliates. The Conclave ceremony focuses on sharing the possibilities of the Ware community, including what it means to live according our motto, Integritas in Perpetuum. We have been honored in the past to have our namesake, Richard Ware; his wife, Katherine Harris; and his son, William Ware speak at Conclave. Following our presenters’ words of wisdom, incoming Ware Fellows and Affiliates are then pinned, commemorating them as new members of our community. The Conclave concludes as we enjoy a casual meal, celebrating the excitement of the upcoming academic year.