Over the past seventy-three years, Virginia Tech students and faculty have gathered to celebrate the beloved and lasting tradition of Ring Dance. Established by the Class of 1935, the Ring Dance weekend takes place in the spring of a student's junior year.

The two-day celebration opens with a banquet that features elegant
dining and entertainment. The ceremonial ring presentation takes place
on the second evening and begins with a couple's first steps into Squires
Commonwealth Ballroom as they receive ribbons in their class colors,
used to tie each other's rings on their wrists for their ring presentation.
Traditionally, the women wear the darker ribbon while the men wear the
lighter ribbon.

A time-honored ritual performed by the Corps of Cadets marks the ring
presentation. Marching into the ballroom, Junior Cadets form the Ring
Figure of their graduating class year, followed by the formation of the
Sabre Arch. Under this arch, Freshman Cadets escort each Cadet's date. The president of the University ceremoniously announces the formal presentation of the rings.

With “Moonlight and V.P.I”, a song written specifically for the Ring Dance
in 1942 by Fred Waring with lyrics by Charles Gaynor performed in the
background, rings are presented to class members. For most Junior
Cadets, this is their first view of their class ring, since they have been
picked up and hidden by their Freshmen escorts until the dance. At the
conclusion of the song, hundreds of balloons are released on the couples
below. A tradition that began as a Corps prank many years ago is the
release of a small live pig into the ballroom for a brief period after the ring presentation. The great finale of the evening takes place at midnight with a spectacular show of fireworks over the Drillfield. Finally, “Silver Taps” is played and a report from the Skipper Cannon concludes the event. The Class of 2009 cordially invites you to join us on March 28 and 29, 2008 as we take part in this time-honored Virginia Tech Ring Banquet and Dance.