This year the traditional Fall Address and University Picnic at Colorado State University will be combined with the investiture ceremony for CSU President Amy Parsons on the historic Oval on Oct. 4.
The event, which begins at 11 a.m., will include a performance by the CSU Marching Band, a processional and the traditional passing of the mace of leadership to Parsons. Following Parsons’ Fall Address, a free picnic will be held on the Oval for the entire CSU community.
Launched after 1997 flood
While an annual address from the CSU president has been a tradition since at least the mid-1980s, it wasn’t until the devastating Spring Creek Flood of July 1997 that it took on new meaning and a new format, including the complimentary lunch.
When the flood inundated Fort Collins and the CSU campus that year, it flooded the Lory Student Center Theater, where the annual address was traditionally held. Because of the damage, the address was relocated to the Oval as then-President Albert Yates called the community together in the fall for the event.
He added the picnic on the Oval as a thank you to the University community for pulling together in the aftermath and recovery effort. It was a chance for the community to gather during a time of hardship and perseverance as CSU rallied to deal with severe flood damage to numerous campus buildings in addition to the LSC, including the Morgan Library.
An annual tradition
Afterwards, the address and picnic became an annual autumn tradition at Colorado State University. It was not held in 2020 due to the pandemic, and in 2021 it was restructured to be a “Fall Reflection” on the west lawn of the LSC. It returned to the Oval last year under interim President Rick Miranda, marking the 25th anniversary of the event.
The Fall Address and University Picnic will be held in front of the Administration Building and on the Oval from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Stay tuned to SOURCE for more details about the event, including the livestream link.
