Skimmer Day aims to revive old tradition

Organizers of Skimmer Day certainly hope for captivated crowds of undergraduates, swept up in the pomp of their newest creation, to descend upon the Annenberg Quadrangle today. But, if anything, they hope to recreate the strong University tradition that flourished until its demise in the early 1970s. So from noon to 6 p.m., the Class Boards are planning a carnival replete with food trucks, sumo wrestling, bungee races and a velcro wall. Sure, velcro hadn't been invented in the 1920s, but new tradition has to start somewhere. Skimmer Day used to be an event held in the spring which combined the ritual of Hey Day with the festivities of Spring Fling. But somehow, those two ceremonies split into separate entities, leaving Skimmer Day out of the ceremonial mix. In its latest form, certain changes have been made in the event, probably at the request of the University's Risk Management Office. "In the past, it used to be a physical battle," co-organizer Jerome Schneider said last night, explaining how classes used to skirmish against one another in the old Skimmer Day. Today, the class battles should be a little less violent, shooting for points instead of blood. Competing in the cushioned comfort of sumo wrestling suits, classes will earn points through their participation in various events. To the victors will go a four-foot trophy to be displayed in Houston Hall. Schneider said food vendors will line the Walk and a DJ will provide musical accompaniment. "Mid-terms are finally over, we want people to lay down their books and have a good time," he said. The event will continue into the night when De La Soul and a Tribe Called Quest take the stage at Irvine Auditorium at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Schneider said the concert is nearly sold out, with only about 25 tickets remaining at TicketMaster outlets. The concert is being co-sponsored by the Social Planning and Events Committee. Organizers hope Skimmer Day will "bring Homecoming to the students," who, Schneider said, have been left out of many current Homecoming activities. The price tag of Skimmer Day is around $12,000, according to Junior Class Board President Jason Diaz. That might sound like a lot of money for an organization that gained recognition only last year, but Diaz said it equals the price of bringing political satirist P.J. O'Rourke to campus. O'Rourke was invited to the University by Connaissance last year.

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