It's spring, and if you're an Aggie, spring is synonymous with Picnic Day. OK, for some of you it's synonymous with the Whole Earth Festival, too, but let's face it—Whole Earth has been around for only a little over a quarter of a century, whereas Picnic Day has been a part of UC Davis since 1909, long before the campus was UC Davis. So, in honor of our longest tradition, here are some fun facts about Picnic Days past:

PLENTY OF FREE PARKING

Two thousand people showed up for the first Picnic Day. This may not seem like a big crowd compared to more recent times until you realize that, in 1909, the campus had only 130 students. That's a little over 15 visitors per student; if that same ratio were applied this year, come April 21 there'd be 319,410 people all trying to find a place to park on campus.

NEW FEATURES

An outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease forced the cancellation of Picnic Day in 1924, but it resumed in 1925 with the 16th annual gathering. That year's El Rodeo noted that "it has been the aim of the committee to deviate from the general rule and introduce many new features. . . . The women are to be taken care of by Miss Blanche Johnson, who has arranged some instructive demonstrations. Mr. Coles has given us something new in the entertainment line by having a Boy Scout demonstration. . . . Buck Collins has herded the division together and will show the people a real exhibit of what we are doing at Davis. . . . The dances have been extended by Curt Clark inasmuch as he has plans to take care of Dad and Mother at an old times dance."

PEPPIEST TANGOS

The 1927 Picnic Day committee had a budget of $500—"an amount smaller than has ever been used, with the exception of last year, for promoting Picnic Day," according to the 1927 edition of El Rodeo. Meager though their funds may have been, the committee nevertheless mounted an impressive array of activities that were listed in that self-same edition of the yearbook.

A sample:

Dance—The peppiest tangos in history will be shuffled.

Judging—Say, what we don't have to judge isn't worth looking at.

Parade—Evolution is our idea. Evolution from the early caveman to the delicate fair women and Cadillacs.

Publicity—You'll see Little Boy Blue, Little Bo-Peep and the little sheep, primped, all nice and neat.

SOLID AND SQUARE

Picnic Day wasn't held during World War II (in 1946, the campus held "Round-Up Day," a smaller version of Picnic Day that was limited to students, friends and alumni) but returned in full measure in 1947, complete with all the requisite Picnic Day activities—departmental exhibits, the horse show, track meet, fashion show and aquacade. The parade theme was "Education Guides the Plow," and said the 1947 El Rodeo, "the day was sprinkled with many interesting sidelines, one being a demonstration of sheep dogs at work. The star was 'Nell,' who played in 20th Century-Fox's Bob, Son of Battle. . . . To top off an interesting and enlightening day, there were two big dances. One 'solid' for those who like to dance to the theme of a smooth modern band, and one 'square' for those who like the square dances and hoedown."

BREEZY

Picnic Day has been graced with good weather through most of its history, but there have been rainy ones and windy ones. Picnic Day 1952 was one of the "breezy" ones (and those of you who remember those Davis springtime north winds will be able to interpret that weatherman's phrase correctly). Some of the floats had a bit of trouble with the wind, but most survived. (South Hall's float, designed to parody living conditions in that dormitory, was titled "Les Miserable.") Picnic Day activities that year included "the largest one-day high school track meet in the world," or so said the 1952 El Rodeo, with 68 events and 1,218 competitors from 71 schools.

PASSING TIME

50 YEARS AGO

"You've heard of people getting married on a battlefield or in a rowboat or on horseback, but when a couple sets the date on Picnic Day and plans the time so as not to coincide with two big events of the day, that's really unique.

"Pat Curtis of Woodlake and Russ Cosgrave of Arcata were married at the Community Church on April 14, at 1:30 between the fashion show at 11:30 and the horse show at 2:30."

25 YEARS AGO

"The cow-milking contest, a pre-Picnic Day tradition, dates back to at least 1948. Electronic or vacuum devices are strictly prohibited. Thus the contestants are equipped only with a bucket and a cow, and a change of clothes if they're smart."