Maryland Day (University of Maryland)
Maryland Day is an annual campus-wide family-oriented community outreach event and open house at the University of Maryland, College Park. It features demonstrations, performances, sports events, tours, hands-on activities, food, games, give-aways, and information about research, academics, student life, and other activities at the university and in the surrounding community. The event generally runs from 10am to 4pm on the last Saturday in April, and admission is free. The university estimates that 8,000 volunteers participate, and has claimed an annual attendance of at least 80,000. In 2023, there were over 300 attractions at Maryland Day. Maryland Day was proposed in 1998 by then-president of the University, Dan Mote, and was first held in 1999, with the inaugural theme "Explore our World". Maryland Day incorporated the Ag Day event held by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources since 1925, which includes livestock shows and showmanship competitions. The Maryland Terrapins football Spring Game, an annual scrimmage tradition since 1951, has been held on Maryland Day since 2001. For the tenth anniversary event in 2008, campus dining services presented what it claimed to be the world's largest batch of cupcakes, a 60-by-45-foot (18 by 14 m) display of 50,000 cupcakes depicting the University's seal. The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, students led a march for LGBTQ rights during Maryland Day activities, in response to anti-LGBTQ legislation being promoted in several US states. Official website