Campus Happenings
Join Ohio Wesleyan for These August and September 2026 Public Events
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University, including its Richard M. Ross Art Museum and Perkins Observatory, announced its public events for August and September 2026 today. Unless otherwise noted, admission is free.
9 p.m. Aug. 21 and 28 and 8 p.m. Sept. 11, 18, and 25 – Friday night skywatches, at Ohio Wesleyan's Perkins Observatory, 3199 Columbus Pike (U.S. 23), Delaware. Content varies based on weather conditions, but may include a planetarium show, observatory tours, and stargazing with the 32-inch Schottland Telescope. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 on the day of the event and at the door. Reserve tickets by calling (740) 363-1257. Learn more at owu.edu/Perkins.
7 p.m. Sept. 5 – Ohio Wesleyan guest recital featuring Mariko Kaneda, piano, and Alex Goldberg, violin, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. They will present a recital of two titans of the violin-piano duo repertoire, Franz Schubert's "Grand Duo" sonata in A major, D. 574, and Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47—the "Kreutzer Sonata." Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
4:15 p.m. Sept. 8 – Bestselling author, prize-winning journalist, acclaimed biographer, and cultural historian Wil Haygood will read from his book "Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World," in the Benes Rooms inside Hamilton-Williams Campus Center, 40 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Published in 2021, "Colorization" is a New York Times critics' top book of the year, a Booklist editor's choice, and an NPR best book of the year. A book sale and signing will follow the reading. Haygood's presentation is Ohio Wesleyan's 2026-2027 Katherine Kearney Carpenter Lecture sponsored by the OWU Department of English. Admission is free. Learn more at owu.edu/English.
1 p.m. Sept. 12, with a free noon tailgate – Bishop Backers Fall Community Day with free admission to the Ohio Wesleyan vs. John Carroll football game, at Selby Stadium, 45 S. Henry St., Delaware. Enjoy a free tailgate at noon with City of Delaware police officers and firefighters, and Ohio Wesleyan Public Safety officers grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, and meat-free options outside the stadium. The Battling Bishops vs. Blue Streaks game kicks off at 1 p.m. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted and a 50/50 raffle held to support the Bryan Williams Legacy Scholarship, created in memory of the former Delaware and Marion County firefighter. The Williams fund provides scholarships to eligible individuals planning to pursue careers in public service. During the football game, a group of first responders will be announced as honorary OWU game captains. Learn more about the Bishop Backers and OWU athletics at owu.edu/BishopBackers or battlingbishops.com.
3 p.m. Sept. 20 – Ohio Wesleyan faculty recital featuring Adrienne Lape, clarinet, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 24 – Ohio Wesleyan's Fall 2026 OWU Connection Conference, featuring student presentations, panels, and peer-to-peer discussions about the opportunities open to students. Admission is free. As topics are finalized, they will be added to the conference webpage at owu.edu/ConnectionConference, but the day is scheduled to include:
- Noon to 2 p.m. – Black Wall Street, in the atrium of Hamilton-Williams Campus Center, 40 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Guests are invited to learn, network, and shop from local BIPOC-owned businesses and OWU BIPOC student-entrepreneurs promoting their ventures. Black Wall Street is inspired by the legacy of Tulsa, Oklahoma's Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street. This OWU event is in partnership with The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship; the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs; the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU; and the OWU Connection.
- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Patricia Belt Conrades Summer Scholarship and Research Symposium, in the atrium of Schimmel/Conrades Science Center, 90 S. Henry St., Delaware. The annual symposium features poster presentations from Ohio Wesleyan students who participated in OWU's 10-week Summer Scholarship and Research Program or who conducted summer research at other institutions nationwide. The students will explain their original research and answer questions.
- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Sun-gazing, in the Rock Quad outside Merrick Hall, 78 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Take a safe look at the sun through Perkins Observatory telescopes. Observatory Director Don Stevens will be on hand to answer all of your questions about our brightest star.
8 p.m. Sept. 24 – Ohio Wesleyan student-faculty jazz group performance, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. The group, Exposure, features Dylan Craft, Chris Lizak, and Ben Shaheen. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
Richard M. Ross Art Museum
Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum will feature exhibitions and a talk series examining the complex issues surrounding "Communication, Surveillance & Democracy" throughout the 2026-2027 academic year. The series is part of a seminar taught by Ashley Kennard, Ph.D., assistant professor of Journalism and Communication.
Through Sept. 27 – The Ross will open for fall with two simultaneous exhibitions:
- Nicholas Hill: Pandemic Portraits – Hill's portrait ink drawings, created on pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, focus attention on the impact of government intervention and public health policy on the individual. His exhibit examines the recent pandemic era through a deeply personal reflection on loss. Hill is a professor emeritus at Otterbein University.
- Ohio Art League Curated Show – This curated exhibit features artist members of the nonprofit Ohio Art League showcasing works that explore the museum's 2026-2027 theme of "Communication, Surveillance & Democracy."
6:30-9 p.m. Sept. 3 – "Contagion" film screening at The Strand Theatre, 28 E. Winter St., Delaware. In this 2011 film, healthcare professionals, government officials, and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the Centers for Disease Control works to find a cure. Rated PG-13, "Contagion" stars Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law. The Strand's Tracey Peyton and the Ross Art Museum's Christopher Yates will introduce the film, sharing its connection to the museum's "Communication, Surveillance & Democracy" Talk Series. Admission is free for everyone; concessions will be available for purchase.
6:30 p.m. Sept. 10 – Artist Nicholas Hill, BFA, discusses his Pandemic Portraits exhibition, on display at the Ross through Sept. 27. An award-winning artist and 2017 Guggenheim Fellow, Hill has created more than 5,000 portraits to date of those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the academic year, the Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware, is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible, and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/Ross or www.facebook.com/RossArtMuseum for more information.
All Ohio Wesleyan public events are subject to change. For the latest updates, visit owu.edu/calendar. For more Battling Bishop athletics events, visit battlingbishops.com.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.