Picnic Day Weekend in the People’s Republic

P-Day is upon us!

I can’t tell you how excited I am to NOT have to stress about sewing tunics and hydra costumes for my club’s entry in this year’s parade.  Look out for us—we’ll be the group Greekishly geeking-out as Herakles against six of his twelve labors.  You won’t want to miss it (or the rest of the parade line-up, for that matter).

Flying dogs are just one of many on-campus spectacles at Picnic Day.

I’m hoping to have enough energy afterwards for a lot of events later that day…  My favorite being the Doxie Derby, of course.

There’s also plenty of right and relevant culture to check out this weekend which is completely unrelated to Picnic Day.  While I’m hoping that this super-nice weather sticks around so my heroes, monsters and deities stay dry and happy during their tour of Davis, I hope you have a chance to get thee outside and bask as well.

Have a fun (and safe!) Picnic Day weekend!

Friday, April 16 2010

Texas Hold’em Tournament [PLAY + GIVE]

Davis High School Madrigals

Sudwerks

5:30-6:45pm check-in, 7pm play

$40 advance, $50 at door (must be 18+ years old, email Arne Hyson for reservations)

Step right up, step right up and try your hand at a game of chance and skill.  I must admit to being not very well-versed at poker, but Hold’em is my favorite style.  Prizes range from $50 for fourth place and $400 for first.  Good luck!

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Main Stage Dance- Theater Festival [PERFORMANCE]

UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance

Main Theater at Wright Hall

8pm

$10-16

This showcase of undergraduate and graduate students’ choreographies continue through this weekend.  In fact, there is a Picnic Day special for $5 at both 1pm and 3pm.  Sunday show starts at 2pm.  My friend has been raving about this show for a while, apparently it is a must-see event!

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Saturday, April 17 2010

Picnic Day [PARTY]

UC Davis & ASUCD

UC Davis Campus

All Day!

FREE (for the most part)
Ostensibly UC Davis’ Open House for prospective and current students, as well as alumni and community members, Picnic Day is also known as one large, campus-wide celebration that often overflows in the entire City of Davis.  I’ve already mentioned a couple of cool events (such as the morning’s kick-off parade and the ever-popular Doxie Derby), but there are so many more exhibits and activities for your entertainment.  Who knows?  You might even learn something too!

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All-You-Can-Eat Crab Feed and Auction [EAT + SHOP + GIVE]

Davis High School Football

Veteran’s Memorial Center

6-10:30pm

$40 (call Rich Jenness to reserve at 530-400-4048)

Help support DHS football and eat delicious dinner!  There will be a silent auction, live auction, and raffle as well, with entertainment by DJ Preacher.  Sounds like a lot of fun!

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Sunday, April 18 2010

United Nations Film Festival [FILM]

U.N. Assoc, City of Davis Human Relations Commission, I-House

Varsity Theater

1-6pm

$10

The theme for the 6^th annual travelling film festival is “Human Energy”.  Three films (“Soldiers of Peace”, “Milking the Rhino” and “The Sari Sodliers”) will be shown from around the world, each one examining ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help further social justice, sustainability and human rights in their own lives as well as others’.  There will also be a guest speaker, Mandip Rai, who was a 2009-10 Humprey Fellow.

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Empyrean Ensemble:  Program III [MUSIC]

UC Davis Department of Music

Vanderhoef Studio Theater

6pm pre-show talk, 7pm show

$18, $9 student

Davis’ resident ensemble is at it again with a new show that meshes music with other media to present a thought-provoking performance.  With such pieces as “La Femme Adultere” by Philippe Bodin and “In the Midst of Trespassing” by Jesper Nordin, this show is bound to be scintillating!