City of Davis doubling fines for Picnic Day weekend, police say

Aydian Ahmad
·2 min read
6

(FOX40.COM) — The countdown to Picnic Day is ending soon, and the Davis Police Department is reminding the community that while fun is expected, too much of it could cause more harm than it’s worth.

Beginning on Friday at 6 p.m., the Davis police officers will install a “Safety Enhancement Zone” until Sunday at 6 p.m. In the designated area, open containers, noise, smoking, public urination, and other violations will be doubled their ordinary amount, which can cost offenders over $600 per violation, the Davis Police Department said.

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The zone’s boundaries will extend from Shasta Drive and Arlington Boulevard to the west, Covell Boulevard to the north, Pole Line Road to the east, and from Russell Boulevard and A Street near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks to the south.

All of Slide Hill Park in east Davis is also included in the safety zone, police said.

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What is Picnic Day?

Picnic Day, which began in 1909, is considered one of the most prominent events of the UC System and is the “signature event” of UC Davis, according to the university’s website. That means Picnic Day events were held before World War 1 began (the first official declaration was July 28, 1914).

After holding a successful event in 1909, the University Farm continued to plan and sponsor Picnic Day until 1912 when it was officially handed over to the UC Davis student committee. The event has run annually since then, only being canceled five times between 1924 and 1946.

“Since 1959, the parade was extended to include downtown Davis to celebrate the Davis becoming a separate UC campus and not just the Farm School for UC Berkeley,” UC Davis says on its website.

It continues, “This year, there will be more than 200 events on campus and an estimated 75,000 visitors attending this special event.”

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The theme for Picnic Day 2024

Each year, a theme is decided by the Picnic Day Board that it feels will “be embraced by the campus community and highlights something that matters to the Board of Directors.”

The theme chosen for Picnic Day 2024 is Picnic Palooza.

“The word palooza sparks the vision of festive and celebratory ventures [and] showcases the spectacularity of Picnic Day,” UC Davis said on its website.

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