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Special Collections
UC Davis Traditions: Pajamarino
Our latest feature in the UC Davis Traditions series highlights Pajamarino.
The present day Pajamarino traces its roots back to 1912 when according to the 1913 El Rodeo Yearbook: “A big pajama rally was held for the basketball team on December 6, 1912. A large bonfire, quartets, and violin solos were the features of the evening.”
By 1915 the rally was known as Pajamarino and was held on the eve of a football game in October. During the 1920s, the pajama clad rally students “serpentined” through the main streets of Davis and returned to campus for a bonfire. The tradition evolved and the pajama clad students began marching to the train station to meet returning alumni. They accompanied the alumni back to the campus for the rally around the bonfire. After the rally, a dance was held.
The Pajamarino tradition continues today. Visit the Cal Aggie Alumni Association website for information about this year’s Pajamarino.
Below is an image from the University Archives Photographs of Pajamarino in 1959.
Pajamarino, 1959