Special Collections - Anteater Antics

Wayzgoose

Chancellor Peltason at the UCI-UTC bridge dedication

by

Happy birthday, Chancellor Peltason! Hope your birthday is as joyous and eventful as this moment in UC Irvine history!

AS-061_S01152_003

Chancellor Peltason crosses the UCI-UTC bridge. Also pictured, Chancellor Aldrich, Peter the Anteater, and Aldrich Hall (Administration building). From the University Communications Photographs [AS-061].

This photo was taken during the 1986 UCI-UTC Bridge Dedication. The outfits worn by many of the attendees suggest that this may have occured during UCI’s annual Wayzgoose celebration.

AS-061_S01152_004

Chancellor Peltason at the UCI-UTC Bridge Dedication. From the University Communications Photographs [AS-061].

This pedestrian bridge was built through a partnership between the City of Irvine and the Irvine Company to connect the University Town Center and the UC Irvine campus. The $1,000,000 bridge symbolized the relationship between the campus and the community at large.

It has also been stated by Sam McCulloch, our favorite Australian historian, that during this dedication ceremony, “Chancellor Peltason entertained the audience of University and community leaders with a remarkable yo-yo demonstration”.

Does anyone have any video evidence of this? Please do share. Here are some photos!

(One more thing to note! This bridge now goes by the name, Watson Bridge, named for Ray Watson, original architect and former President of The Irvine Company. This bridge was dedicated on October 27, 2005.)

Backstage Passes from the ASUCI Records

by

The UCI campus in the decade of the 80’s was a rad venue for seeing well-known bands of the time perform. Ever heard of Missing Persons, Oingo Boingo, or X? The Associated Students of the University of California in Irvine (ASUCI) invited groups such as these to provide entertainment to the campus community.
Here are scans from just a few of the materials in this collection consisting mainly of backstage passes and oversized posters for events from 1976 to 2006.

From ASUCI records. AS-160.
http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8k075h7/

The collection comprises the records of the Associated Students, University of California, Irvine from 1974 to 2006. The materials in this collection consist mainly of photographs, invoices, receipts, business memoranda, correspondence, forms, internal affairs, organizing activities, backstage passes to events, and oversized posters for events such as Wayzgoose, Reggae Fest, Homecoming, and entertainment provided by ASUCI to the campus community.

– Ziba Zehdar, UCI Special Collections and Archives intern

Get Ready for Celebrate UCI!

by

AS-061_S00356_016

This Saturday, April 20th, the UC Irvine campus will hold its annual Celebrate UCI event in Aldrich Park. This campus-wide celebration includes live entertainment, carnival games and rides, lots of food, arts & crafts, performances, the annual car show (15 years running!), and Wayzgoose, one of UCI’s oldest traditions. The festival also features an Open House, where many campus services will remain open in order for prospective students and the community to learn about the UCI campus. All events are free and parking is complimentary!

This celebration has been a campus favorite for decades. Here are some photos of Celebrate UCI and Wayzgoose festivals from the 1980s:

These photos and more are available to view in our reading room at Special Collections and Archives, on the 5th floor of Langson Library. They will soon be available online via the Online Archive of UCI History, which documents the first 50 years of the campus in photographs, videos, audio recordings, publications, the New University newspaper, and other publications. Check back often, as new materials are continuously being added.

Check out this video of last year’s celebrations, and get ready for another great year of Celebrate UCI!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hw-c0dxxoI&w=560&h=315]

Photos from AS-061, UCI Communications Photographs Collection.  Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.