Gunrock, the UC Davis mascot, will be on hand to welcome the campus's many visitors. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo)
In this Spotlight
- Spotlight home
- It's a whole day of Earth-friendly consciousness
- Tom pipes up for the good, the bad and the out of tune — and Twinkies
- Erin gives a family-centered guide to the parade, free stuff and dogs
- Anna dishes out the goods on UC Davis' fashion and tie-dyeing scenes
- Adhanet offers a tour of art galleries — with a big plus: student work
It's a whole day of Earth-friendly consciousness
In a year when UC Davis is emphasizing sustainable living along all pathways, Picnic Day 2007 on April 14 hopes to be the pinnacle of that message.
This year's motto is "Making our Mark," and student planners hope the campus's 93rd annual open house achieves that goal by designing the event to be as socially responsible as possible.
Picnic Day, in which the school shows itself off to an expected audience of 50,000 to 60,000 people, is UC Davis' single oldest tradition and has remained student-run since its inception.
More than 150 events are conducted across the campus that appeal to the entire family, ranging from face painting to dog shows to exhibitions of futuristic cars.
Last year, the event made headlines for its commitment to being environmentally friendly, most notably with a "zero-waste Quad."
Picnic Day organizers teamed with R4, a campus organization that promotes recycling and sustainable waste management, to ensure that every item used on the central fair grounds, be it Frisbees, plates or utensils, was made from 100 percent recycled materials or biodegradable cornstarch.
Zero-waste Quad is back
You can have your choice of musical genres with stages spread across the campus. Here Max Church sings and dances while Jimmy Lehman plays during their performance with their band, the eighty-eights, from Santa Rosa, Calif.(Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo)
That same Earth-friendly consciousness will be a focus this year as well. The "zero-waste Quad" will return and all the posters and signs will be made of recycled paper.
This being the second year of the partnership with R4, the organizers hope that the reused or renewable materials can be integrated more seamlessly into the standard routines of all the events.
And building on that foundation of awareness, Picnic Day organizers hope to extend the message of responsibility into social arenas.
Donation stations will be set up at more than 25 locations around the campus, and visitors are being asked to bring canned goods, which will be donated to the Yolo County Food Bank.
"Part of making our mark as students, teachers, or members of the community, is helping out others and being responsible members of society," says senior Linda Tran, who is returning for her second year as chair of the event.
"If every person brought at least one can, that is a major contribution; it would be over 50,000 cans donated to the food bank."
Non-profit Fair added
‘Part of making our mark as students, teachers, or members of the community, is helping out others and being responsible members of society.’
Linda Tran, Picnic Day chair
The biggest addition to this year's festivities, and part of the charitable emphasis, is the Non-profit Fair.
Organizations from all over Yolo County and down to the Bay Area, such as The American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, will have informational booths on campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the lawn in front of Olson Hall.
According to Tran, the intent of the Non-profit Fair is to help people make a difference – not only on Picnic Day, but for every day afterward: "By giving these non-profit groups the forum to spread their message, it makes it easier for anybody who is interested to get involved and assist with the cause they are passionate about."
Aside from these new additions, Picnic Day's perennial favorites and staples will return in full force. They include: the Chemistry Magic Show, the student fashion show, the 34thannualDoxie Derby (dachshund races) and, of course, the Battle of Bands.
Music has always been a central element to Picnic Day and the eight stages spread around the campus will feature an eclectic mix of musical acts from around the area.
Lots of freebies
And as any experienced Picnic Day goer can report, there are a myriad of giveaways that dot the campus, including liquid nitrogen ice cream and a make-your-own-lava-lamp exhibit, both presented by the Department of Chemical Engineering.
One of the most coveted freebies is offered up by the renowned Department of Viticulture and Enology: a limited number of grape vines.
For a complete list of events, exhibits, and giveaways as well as information about parking go to http://picnicday.ucdavis.edu or pick up a schedule on campus.