Appeared in UC Davis Spotlight on April 12, 2010.
Picnic Day 2010 will celebrate the next 100 years of Aggie Pride with the relocation of several major events to the lawn near the Mondavi Center at the campus’s “new front door” off Interstate 80.
The campus’s 96th annual open house is expected to draw an audience of more than 100,000 people. Students past, present and prospective are welcome to bring their friends and family to revel in the talent and diversity that UC Davis has to offer.
The parade is scheduled to begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. at the grandstands along North Quad Avenue, between Veihmeyer and Hunt halls.
Floats, the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh, tractors and bikes, and humorous entries from campus departments will make their way throughout campus and downtown Davis.
Alumni Zone shifts
Central to the shift to Vanderhoef Quad across from the Mondavi Center is the Alumni Zone. The move from the central Quad will place it across the street from the Buehler Alumni and Visitor Center.
“We want this location to be the new front door to UC Davis, ” said Jennifer Thayer, assistant director of programs at the Cal Aggie Alumni Association.
Those visiting Vanderhoef Quad can tour Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. Hall, the new home of UC Davis’ Graduate School of Management, during the morning. The $16.2 million building has been built to exacting environmental standards and boasts a pioneering, green-building design.
Other interactive activities will be available on the Vanderhoef Quad through a partnership with south-campus departments, in addition to the traditional photo booth, coloring/craft kid zone and hydration station for four-legged friends.
From mobile art to wine appreciation
The day’s lineup includes performances from student and alumni groups, a mobile art exhibit featuring works from alumni, wine appreciation lessons for the budding connoisseur (the new Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is just down the street), and foreign-language basics in two minutes or less.
That very talent and diversity at the Vanderhoef Quad will be demonstrated throughout the campus on Picnic Day. It has inspired this year’s theme, “Carpe Davis: Seizing Opportunities,” a spin on the Latin maxim carpe diem, meaning “seize the day.”
Fourth-year English major Monica Lindholm seized on one significant opportunity herself when she was hired as chair of the Picnic Day Board of Directors last June.
“Not many schools give their students the chance to organize the biggest event of year,” she said. “The theme is a testament to the many opportunities on and around campus, and how UC Davis students are taking advantage of those opportunities to make something of it.”
First held in 1909, organizers have cancelled Picnic Day just five times since — once due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 1924; delayed construction of the gymnasium, which was needed to accommodate the ever-increasing number of participants led to a second cancellation in 1938; and due to World War II from 1942-44, when the campus was closed.
From just one exhibit of cheese and milk products, Picnic Day has grown to more than 200 events, involving animal competitions, shows, exhibitions, the parade, food and freebies.
Big taste, less waste
By midday, bellies will be rumbling. Picnic Day attendees can survey a selection of ethnic dishes and fair food provided by 14 student organization-sponsored booths on the east side of the central Quad. Carne asada tacos, chicken satay and spring rolls are just three of the many options from which hungry picnickers can choose.
Food alternatives to the student organization fair are the Sodexho food booths set up throughout campus; the Silo at the corner of Hutchinson Drive and California Avenue, which sells meals from Pizza Hut, Carl’s Jr. and Taco Bell; and the student-run Coffee House in the Memorial Union.
After eating, visotirs will be able to turn their trash into compost at the compost station/education booth hosted by the Campus Center for the Environment. Through a partnership with the center and Associated Students of UC Davis, 30 percent of the Picnic Day costs will be covered for student organizations that choose to buy compostable materials for their food booths.
Selling food is an important source of revenue for many groups, and, thanks to the student environmental center, they can be Earth-friendly, too.
Enjoying the day like a pro
To enjoy Picnic Day like the long-time aficionados, a plan is essential. With hundred of events and activities in store, organizers advise those feeling ambitious to use the in-depth schedule of events posted on the official Web site as a guide.
“Know what is happening and where,” says Picnic Day Chair Lindholm. “On the other hand, if you just wander around, you’ll discover events you never thought you would enjoy.”
Jose Orozco, who organized the East Quad Student Organization Fair for the Picnic Day board, says, “Get to the East Quad quickly. The majority of organizations sell out their food by 3 p.m.”
Concerned about the crowds? Parking is first-come, first-served at parking facilities and spaces throughout the campus, including metered parking spaces, and free all day. (Just don’t park in loading zones and spaces designated for specialty and handicapped vehicles.)
Early birds can secure spaces for their cars, then head to Freeborn Hall for a pancake breakfast, which starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 9:30 a.m., just in time for the parade.
