1. Why did the committee decide on a fall date for the reunion?
Not exactly sure how August became our go to month for past reunions, but some of it had to do with venue availability and pricing. Fall is typically a busy wedding season while August usually is not. The fall is such a great time of the year around Virginia, and time wise we were ahead in the venue scheduling game. We thought this would be a welcomed change for this reunion.
2. Why Maggianos?
We had our 30th reunion at Maggianos and the response back then was very favorable. Maggianos does a really nice job, their food is consistently very good, they are reasonably priced compared to other venues, and there is very low risk of them going out of business before our reunion. Many nearby schools, including Marshall, have used Maggianos for their class reunions. As we did our research we continually heard great feedback about their experience with Maggianos. It's a great venue.
3. Did you consider a country club or somewhere that we could be outdoors?
Many venues, like country clubs, are priced out of what we considered an acceptable range. Westwood Country Club in Vienna for example would have meant a ticket price of over $225. If we knew for certain a year and a half ahead that there was zero chance of rain we might have been able to book something under the stars. But if it ended up raining . . “who’s bright idea was this?” Our hope is that people will take advantage of our additional activities during the reunion weekend for outdoor gatherings.
4. Why not just meet up at a brewery and have people order off of a menu?
We did give that some thought, and there are some breweries/bars where individuals can set up their own personal tab (as opposed to being waited on at a table); so the concept can be a good one. The cons are finding a venue that can accommodate a separate, private party of 100 people, and many places (including Maggianos) require a guaranteed minimum revenue. It might have been doable . . we just decided to go a different route for this reunion.
5. Why not use a firehall or community center, or even some historic house?
We looked into a few places. The problem with just about all of these kind of venues is that they can often require a fair amount of work to turn a white cinder block room with florescent lighting into something “special”. Plus there is the teardown and cleanup afterwards. As for historic locations, they can be expensive and usually do not have enough indoor space, which usually means putting up a tent. All of this adds up in costs and headaches.
6.How did you arrive at the pricing for the reunion?
Full disclosure: when you account for the meal, taxes and Maggianos’ administrative fee, our cost per person, just at Maggianos, is $75; and we have other expenses for the reunion beyond Maggianos. Are there less expensive options available? In northern Virginia, not many; and for the ones that do exist the cost is not that much less, and in some cases present other issues that end up costing more. At any rate, for our 40th Reunion the ticket price was $75 (Early Bird) and $100 (full). We all know that over a 10 year period prices tend to go up, and this particularly has been the case the past 2 years. Your best bet is to take advantage of the Early Bird Special of $85 (ended January 31).
7. Will there be an early bird special price like previous reunions?
Yes. The Early Bird Special of $85 will begin December 6, 2022 and run through January 31, 2023. After that reunion tickets will be $120.
8. Will there be other activities taking place over the reunion weekend?
Yes. We are still sorting out a variety of planned activities, such as a tour of the high school and a tour of the Marshall House in Leesburg, plus some other casual gatherings. Keep checking back to the class website for more info.
9. I want to come to the reunion but I am on a fixed income and a very tight budget. Is there a price break for someone in my position?
We have raised funds for people in situations like this (a big Thank You to our generous fellow classmates). We want you to be there. Please note: anyone asking for assistance will be kept confidential with just our reunion committee of four. Assistance is only for GCM Class of 1973 graduates and applies only to the ticket price (not travel or accommodations). For more information and to request assistance, please go here.
10. Is the reunion just for Marshall Class of 1973 graduates or can other Marshall classes and/or guests come as well?
All events during our reunion are open to guests and to Marshall grads from other years than 1973. We particularly welcome and encourage them to attend “The Main Event” at Maggianos on September 30.
11. Is there a deadline for getting the group rate at Embassy Suites?
Yes, to get our group rate please make your reservation by Tuesday August 29, 2023. You can cancel your reservation no later than 72 hours prior to your intended arrival to avoid cancellation charges.
12. Do people on the reunion committee buy their own reunion ticket?
Yes, we have purchased our own tickets for every reunion.
