THE FAIR & THE Winter FAIR
The FAIR showcases many of CMU's 350+ Student Government recognized student organizations and 20+ sorority and fraternity organizations. The entire CMU community — undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty — are invited to explore ways to get involved at Carnegie Mellon.
The FAIR 2025
The FAIR 2025 will be held Wednesday September 3, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on The Cut & near The Fence.
The Winter FAIR 2025
The Winter FAIR 2026 will be held Wednesday January 21, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in Wiegand Gymnasium.
How do I register my organization for the FAIR?
Student organization registration opens August 11, 2025! Student organization officers will receive the registration link in the Office of Student Involvement and Traditions' Scotty Scoop newsletter sent to organizations, on The FAIR's TartanConnect webpage website, and the CMUGetInvolved Instagram. A space is not guaranteed. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so we encourage organizations to register early!
How do we prepare for the FAIR?
- Check to make sure your student organization page on TartanConnect is fully up-to-date.
- Meet with members from your student organization to plan and prepare for your table at the FAIR. Teamwork means less work on any one person and you’ll have more fun. Remember to include members of your organization who don't hold a leadership position.
- Create a display that is engaging and will appeal to your audience. Your display/poster/banner/table cloth should have your organization name on it. A staff member from the Office of Student Involvement and Traditions may ask you to remove an item that is obstructing the view of another organization.
- Each organization has a unique QR Code on their TartanConnect page that users can scan to automatically join an organization's Member page. Be sure to print this out or have a digital copy on a personal device for your table!
- Do not expect to have electrical outlets. Generators are not permitted. We ask that any music or recorded sound be played only at a level that does not impede conversations at the table next you. A staff member from the Office of Student Involvement and Traditions may ask you to turn sound down or off. We will not be able to provide performance or demonstration space for your organization.
- Brainstorm with organization members for a creative giveaway to pass out to visitors. (Live animals are not permitted as giveaways). Have members at your table to answer questions. Be proactive and approach students instead of just setting up a display and standing by it. Have a sign-up sheet ready to collect names and emails of those interested in joining your organization.
- Plan when and where your first meeting or information session will be so that you can advertise that information during the FAIR.
The FAIR 2025 Information
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
The FAIR 2025 will be Wednesday September 3, 2025, on The Cut outside of the Cohon University Center and near The Fence.
Organization registration will open August 11, 2025, and can be found on The FAIR's TartanConnect website!
Explore THE FAIR
Organizations span a variety of interests and passions:
- Campus & Community Partners
- Community Engagement (Direct Service, Volunteering, Political/Advocacy)
- Diversity-Related (
- Mental Health & Wellbeing
The FAIR Logistics
Provisions & Breakdown
You will be provided with a six-foot banquet table and two chairs. Due to possible space constraints, we may ask you to share a table with another organization in your same category. Please indicate your sharing preference on your registration form.
The FAIR ends at 6:30 pm. Please clean-up around your table area and discard any trash to help the Office of Student Involvement and Traditions staff during their clean-up process after hours.
Check-In & Set-Up
You may start setting up your table 1 hour before the event. If you are a student organization, you were emailed your table number at least 24 hours prior to the FAIR. Organizations do NOT need to check in with the Office of Student Involvement and Traditions; please head directly to your table.
You must have a member present at your table 15 minutes before the FAIR starts. If you are not present, your table will be given to an organization on the waitlist.
After the FAIR
Each organization has a unique QR Code on their TartanConnect page that users can scan to automatically join an organization's Member page. Be sure to print this out or have a digital copy on a personal device for your table!
If you choose to use Google Sheets, Excel, or a physical paper sheet to collect contact information, upload all of the email addresses you collected into the Members section of your TartanConnect page to invite individuals to join.
Begin planning your first meeting or information session for interested students and follow up with these students within a week of the FAIR with a personal message to let them know about upcoming events or meetings. The personal outreach will help your organization stand out.