Bob Bowen: Organizing Davis
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–
Chances are that any large event in Davis can somehow be traced back to Bob Bowen.
Since the day Bowen graduated from Davis High, he has been planning, organizing and directing events in Davis. Recent events Bowen has worked on and organized include outdoor movies in Central Park, the Picnic Day parade and the Livestrong Challenge.
Bowen moved from Fresno to Davis in 1968 when he was a junior.
“At the time, Davis was still growing and had a population of around 20,000 people,” Bowen said.
One of the clubs Bowen got involved in at DHS was student government.
“My favorite activity at DHS was my involvement in student gov.,” Bowen said.
In the spring of his senior year, Bowen was elected student body president at DHS.
That year, the city started a teen program which Bowen was involved in along with a few other Student Government students.
“We organized all types of games and dances in the ‘old MPR’ at DHS. We used to have a day at DHS when students ran the school. I was principal and another student was the librarian, and another was the janitor,” Bowen said.
The classes Bowen took at DHS that helped him the most were English and government.
“You have to be able to write and express your ideas,” Bowen said.
After graduating from DHS, Bowen attended UC Davis for four years.
“I became involved in a service that helped run events on campus,” Bowen said.
One of the events this group helped operate was the Picnic day parade.
“I learned how to put on a party for 50,000 people,” Bowen said.
After graduating, Bowen eventually got a job and started working for the city of Davis. Bowen has helped create many annual city events such as Celebrate Davis, Rainbow Summer Camp and the downtown Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Bowen also played a key role in bringing the bike museum, located on B Street to Davis.
Bowen also created a production many Davis residents may have heard of, The Davis Children’s Nutcracker. The annual play involves over 250 Davis children and has been a local tradition for kids in Davis since 1977.
Bowen advises current DHS students to “somehow get involved in something outside of class, extra-curricular activities.”
“Get out of your comfort zone, try something new,” Bowen said.
Bowen has experienced DHS from the perspective of a student and as a parent. His son, Spencer, graduated from DHS in 2011. On Sept. 14, Bowen was inducted into the Davis High School Hall of Fame.
