For the first time since 2019, the traditional Fall Address and University Picnic at Colorado State University will return to the historic Oval at 11 a.m. on Sept. 29, in celebration of its 25^th anniversary.

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 a complimentary lunch for the entire University community.

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.

Celebration of recovery

He added the free 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.

Afterwards, the Fall 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. But this year, the 25^th anniversary of the event, CSU leaders decided to return to the traditional Fall Address format on the Oval, including the picnic.

The event will be held on the southwest corner of the Oval from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, and will feature remarks from Interim President Rick Miranda as well as a performance by the CSU Marching Band prior to the lunch.

The event will be livestreamed on the LSC’s YouTube channel, at https://col.st/pBcVi. Stay tuned to SOURCE for more details about the event.