More than 1,600 staff members loaded up plates with burgers, hot dogs, salads, and watermelon on Wednesday for the annual UCSC Staff Appreciation Barbecue on the East Field.
Cool breezes and gray skies were the order of the day at first, but the sun made it out later in the afternoon while Split Shift, a band made up entirely of UCSC staffers, belted out blues and classics such as "The Letter" and "Got My Mojo Working."
Earlier, another staff band, The Cultivators, played bluegrass and folk tunes including the hymn "I'll Fly Away."
Attendees plunked down on the grass or sat at long tables set up on the field.
The barbecue, sponsored by the Staff Advisory Board with support from the Chancellor's Office and administrative divisions, was produced this year in lieu of a Staff Appreciation Breakfast, held in recent years.
The event included informational booths representing groups including the Women at Work Retreat and the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. Staff could also enter a free raffle giving away prizes such as dinner with Chancellor Blumenthal, Macy's gift certificates, and Zipcar credits.
Contact the author at gwenm@ucsc.edu.
