The anniversary party that really did take the cake

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An estimated 2,000 people helped Chapman University celebrate its 150^th Anniversary at Friday’s Birthday Open House. It all began with an early release from classes, and soon the afternoon was filled with activities and fun, from tiny turtles to a giant cake. Then a glittering evening of music and dance was capped off by a fireworks show launched from atop Leatherby Libraries.

The festivities included a children’s zone in which Schmid College scientists exhibited a tortoise and turtle collection and a tank of sea slugs and hermit crabs, Tabula Poetica hosted a poetry-writing table, and the Conservatory of Music let everyone try their hand at drumming. An art tour guided visitors through campus to see highlights of the university’s art collections. Several of Chapman’s most well-known professors delivered “master classes” to standing-room only audiences in Beckman Hall classrooms. And in Leatherby Libraries, a reception was held to unveil The Chapman University Collections, a lush keepsake book showcasing the university’s art and artifact collections.

Vocal and dance groups performed through the evening on the Wells Fargo Stage of Attallah Piazza, and by twilight the popular doo-wop group The Alley Cats entertained the crowd. Then a horde of cake fans flipped on their smart phones to catch images of the 900-pound birthday cake crafted in the image of Memorial Hall being sliced into more than a thousand servings. Now that’s a party.

See more photos and coverage in The Orange County Register .