From a recreation of a 1950s parade float to an activity asking attendees to imagine new public art, the new and the old were on display at Picnic Day Saturday (April 20).

UC Davis’ 110th student-run open house started with thousands watching a parade of campus and community groups, led by Parade Marshal Sheri Atkinson, associate vice chancellor for student life, campus community and retention services in Student Affairs.

“It was such an honor to serve in this role,” she said. “I enjoyed awarding the floats as well as riding in the parade.”

She presented a half-dozen awards to participants, including the loudest group (Veterans Success Center) and the best representation of the “Picnic Palooza” theme (University Retirement Community). But the award for the best vehicle and float went to a team from Archives and Special Collections at UC Davis Library, who celebrated the 75th anniversary of the School of Veterinary Medicine by recreating a 1957 float with tiny veterinarians tending to a giant Scottish Terrier.

“It was a real team effort and a lot of fun,” said Kevin Miller, who leads the department. He said no one on the team had built a float before and they only had one reference photo of the original creation, so they spent a lot of time watching tutorials on YouTube before getting started. 

“We had a sketch and a plan by March 23, so about a month out, and that allowed us to start ordering and gathering supplies,” he said. “We had the wood frame completed by April 7, the chicken wire on and sculpted by April 14, and the floral sheeting and all other details completed in the three days before Picnic Day.”

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