Community Invited for 33rd Annual Open House
Cal Poly hosts its 33rd annual Open House from Thursday-Saturday, April 9-11, in the community and on the San Luis Obispo campus.
There are several opportunities for the local community to experience Cal Poly during Open House, which showcases the campus to prospective students and their parents and supporters. About 7,000 potential future Mustangs and their supporters are expected to attend the three-day event.
“The Open House tradition actually stretches back more than a century to 1904, when visitors were invited to campus to tour new buildings, watch ag shows and eat barbecue,” said Dale Stoker, director of Cal Poly’s New Student and Transition Programs. “While the event has evolved over the decades to showcase the university to future Mustangs, the community remains invited to be a part of the celebration and experience all that Cal Poly has to offer.”
Festivities kick off Thursday, April 9, with Campus Preview Night at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. Cal Poly clubs and organizations will take over an entire block of Chorro Street to share information about campus programs and services.
The following day, April 10, is Admitted Students Discovery Day, where prospective students will attend college sessions, a resource fair and other activities to give them a glimpse of life as a Mustang.
Community members should mark their calendars for Saturday, April 11, to celebrate the Mustang Legacy during the Poly Royal Celebration with a parade and campus showcase of 300 clubs and organizations and special performances. The parade theme is “Green Roots, Golden Futures: Celebrating 125 Years of Cal Poly, marking the university’s quasquicentennial. In addition, the Poly Royal Rodeo and numerous other college, athletics and alumni events will be held throughout the weekend.
Cal Poly Campus Dining Chef Wins Culinary Challenge
Chef Arthur Dulin of Cal Poly Campus Dining earned first place in the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) 2026 Pacific Culinary Challenge.
The live cooking competition took place on March 24 at the University of Washington as part of NACUFS Engage: Pacific, a leading conference for campus dining professionals.
Dulin’s standout performance earned him the regional title and a prestigious silver medal from the American Culinary Federation (ACF), which judged the event. Dulin’s winning dishes — Thai Red Curry Catfish with Okra and Crispy Coconut Rice Cakes, and Catfish Pomelo Salad Garnished with Crispy Okra — secured his place at the NACUFS 2026 National Conference in New Orleans beginning on July 15, where he will compete against top chefs from across the country.
“I’m just proud to have a chance to compete,” Dulin said. “Hearing my name called brought a lot of smiles and happiness. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to showcase what I can do.”
Dulin, who enjoys bringing his experience in Southern, South American and Southeast Asian cuisine to campus dining at Cal Poly, said advancing to nationals is something that energizes both his team and the students he works with.
At the NACUFS national conference, finalists will compete for the highest honors, a cash prize, and national recognition in Campus Dining Today, the official magazine of NACUFS. Since 2001, the NACUFS Culinary Challenge has spotlighted the exceptional skills of collegiate dining chefs nationwide. Each competitor must craft an original, nutritionally balanced dish featuring a designated protein, and is judged on organization, technique, and taste using a rigorous 100-point scale.
Fire Inspections in Los Osos Underway
Cal Fire South Bay – Station 15 and Los Osos Community Services District advise Los Osos residents and property owners that the Annual Fire Hazard Abatement Inspections have begun.
All properties within the District boundaries containing hazardous vegetation and other flammable materials, that constitute a public nuisance, must be removed as per Los Osos CSD Fire Code, Health and Safety Code and Public Resources Code. Hazardous weeds are defined by the California Health and Safety Code Section 14875, as dry grass, brush, poison oak, litter, or other flammable material that created a fire hazard.
Acceptable methods of fire hazard reductions are:
• Mowing grasses and small shrubs to a height of not more than 4 inches;
• Cutting dead brush and thin brush patches and remove it by hauling or chipping over a scattered area;
• Hauling other flammable debris, and trash to a landfill.
Send your news, community, and business briefs to EditorEBN@gmail.com. Be sure to include the who, what, why, where and when information along with a contact person.
