By Tahlia Williams

The University of Maryland’s campus came alive on Saturday, April 26, as thousands of families, alumni and community members gathered to celebrate Maryland Day. 

With over 400 events, exhibits, and performances, the celebration brought lots of learning, fun, and history to every corner of campus. 

Along with that came the aroma of barbecue and the sweetness of Maryland Dairy ice cream. 

Maryland Day originally began as Ag Day, which was first held in 1999 as a way to commemorate UMD’s roots as the Maryland Agricultural College. It has grown into a campus-wide celebration of community and discovery, this year marking the 100th anniversary of Ag Day.

The day featured student-led activities, animal encounters and a spring football scrimmage at SECU Stadium. Fans gathered in the stands to get an early glimpse at the 2025 Terps football team in action, cheering on big plays and checking out the talent. 

But for many first-time visitors, the sounds of the drumming to the smell of cotton candy caused a sensory overload. 

“I came for the ice cream and stayed for everything else,” joked junior psychology major Cassidy Weeks. “It really blew my mind. I didn’t expect Maryland Day to be so fun. The baby horse was my favorite, and the plant station where I got a tomato plant.” 

Food stands across campus served up classics like hot dogs, barbecue chicken, crispy fries, hand-battered chicken tenders and cotton candy spun in every color, while McKeldin Mall’s Maryland Dairy booth gave guests a chance to taste ice cream made from milk produced on campus. The line for their signature flavor, “Fear the Turtle,” stretched halfway down the mall. 

“It’s such a cool way to see personality at UMD,” said freshman public policy student Cassidy Gilden. 

For many students, Maryland Day is a chance to show off their campus and reflect on what brought them to College Park. 

“Maryland Day actually helped me choose UMD last year,” said freshman enrolled in letters and sciences, Naomi Yamada. “There’s something empowering about a school that opens its doors like this to everyone. It makes you feel like you belong.” 

At the heart of this year’s festivities was the celebration of UMD’s rich agricultural history due to Ag Day’s anniversary Celebrations included livestock shows, equestrian demonstrations and a foal viewing. 

“Ag Day really helped me connect the dots between Maryland’s origins and the diverse fields of study offered here,” said Thu Nguyen, a junior animal science major.  

Several new visitors to UMD expressed that the day exceeded their expectations of what campus life was like. 

“I thought Maryland was all about academics,” said Anika Schauf, a senior nursing major.“But I’ve learned a lot about how much the university values creativity and community. It has a lot more than I thought.” 

As the day wound down, the final events were cut short by sudden thunderstorms, but the impact was unmistakable. Maryland Day shares the future of the campus community, and allows us to celebrate our history. 

From the sounds of the marching band to the earthy smell of the campus farm, Maryland Day offered a full look at the university’s past, present and future through education, community and more than a few scoops of ice cream. 

Featured Image: The University of Maryland Drumline performs at Maryland Day. Photo by John T. Consoli/Maryland Today.