Picnic Day Goes Virtual for 2nd Year

by UC Davis Magazine staff | Nov 23, 2020 | Culture, On Campus

Picnic Day will be virtual for the second year in a row, due to the pandemic.

“Picnic Day takes almost a whole year to plan, and we want to make the safest decision for all participants and guests,” Picnic Day Chair Caitlyn Liu said in a news release. “I think having more time to plan a virtual event allows the Picnic Day Board to innovate and think creatively when it comes to reimagining how people experience Picnic Day.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s an exciting challenge,” said Liu, a senior who has been on the board since her freshman year.

The date remains as scheduled: Saturday, April 17. The virtual experience will feature video content from many popular events from previous years, as well as additional online activities throughout the day.

A virtual Picnic Day means no parade. “I was the parade director in 2019, the most recent in-person Picnic Day we’ve had,” Liu said. “So trust me, this was a difficult decision to make. The parade is a large gathering, and there is no way to ensure that it would be safe for both the spectators and participants.”

The board has been working since the end of summer and will reveal the Picnic Day theme, logo and marshals in a video that will be released in December.

“We hope everyone will enjoy this virtual experience from the comfort of their home and urge everyone to follow public health precautions,” Liu said.

The Picnic Day website includes an FAQ about the switch to a virtual event in 2021.