Golden State Today

The “Picnic Palooza” is ready to kick off at the 110th Picnic Day this Saturday (April 20), and there are plenty of ways to celebrate. The annual campus open house is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to UC Davis for activities, performances, animal events, research exhibitions, giveaways, food, and more. It is believed to be the largest student-run event in the nation.

Young (and young at heart) attendees can get into the spirit of this year’s theme, “Picnic Palooza,” by making party hats and balloon animals between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Children’s Discovery Fair outside of Hoagland Hall. According to the official Picnic Day program, “No palooza is complete without party hats.”

In addition to the festivities, visitors can witness chicks actively hatching from eggs in tabletop incubators at the hatching exhibit in Meyer Hall rooms 1330 and 1338. Volunteers will be present to answer questions and offer insights into the hatching process.

Furthermore, Bradford Martin, chair of the Picnic Day Board of Directors, expressed, “Our community has come closer together and we hope to do the same for all of Davis on Picnic Day.”

The event will also feature a 30th birthday celebration for Robert Arneson’s Egghead sculptures, with a display showcasing the making of these iconic sculptures at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art.

Picnic Day merchandise, including licensed Egghead merchandise, will be available for purchase both online and in-store until the day of the event. The merchandise features this year’s festive logo, a Unitrans bus and campus water tower donning party hats.

Organizers anticipate a 30% increase in activities at Picnic Day this year, with a significant rise in participants at the Student Organization Fair on the Quad, which will offer free carnival games.

Many traditional attractions will return, such as the laser maze in Kemper Hall, the chemistry show in Rock Hall, and cockroach racing outside Briggs Hall. However, cow milking will not be offered this year.

For those interested, tickets are still available for the Fashion Show and Davis Dance Revolution, while tickets for the Doxie Derby have already sold out but will be livestreamed for online viewing.

Safety is a top priority for organizers, who collaborate with the UC Davis Police Department to ensure a safe environment for all attendees. First aid assistance will be available at the Fire Department, and visitors can now opt in to receive UC Davis WarnMe and Aggie Alert text messages by texting UCDPICNIC to 888777.

As the 110th Picnic Day approaches, the community is gearing up for a day filled with fun, entertainment, and the spirit of togetherness.