The start of a new academic year can be daunting for some. It might be your first year of uni, or it could even be your last. But those nerves don’t mean you can’t still enjoy your time at Lancaster – so let’s have some fun!
During Freshers week – and in some cases, before – there are plenty of events hosted across Lancaster. They range from society events to club nights at LUSU’s very own nightclub. Here’s a list of just some of the things you can do this freshers to make sure your year starts with a bang!
Freshers Events to Get Your Year Started
Kick start the academic year with these Freshers events!
Established in 1982 and ran by us here at Lancaster University Students’ Union, the Sugarhouse (affectionately known as Sugar) is the biggest nightclub in Lancaster. And it’s just for students! You can learn more about Sugar here.
The club will be hosting a whole week of fun for students during freshers week:
🎸 Indie Night | Friday 26th September
🍸 Pre-Freshers Party | Saturday 27th September
🤠 Move-In Party | 28th September
📚 Back 2 School R&B | Monday 29th September
🧙♂️ Wizardly World | Tuesday 30th September
💎 Glitz & Glam Night | Wednesday 1st October (Drag Queen Performance)
🎪 Freshers Festival Bar Crawl | Thursday 2nd October
🐍 Jungle & Drum & Bass Takeover | Friday 3rd October
🏛️ Rep Your College | Saturday 4th October (Special Guest DJ)
Before you get to Lancaster, there’s a chance you’ll see a few events pop up online toting themselves as ‘official’ Lancaster Freshers events. Unfortunately, many of these events are fake, or scams that advertise incorrectly, so make sure to buy tickets from trusted sites. For example, the Sugarhouse will only ever post tickets on their Fixr page.
Always be on the lookout and if in doubt know that anything we post on our website or socials, and anything on Lancaster University’s pages can be trusted!
The Sugarhouse
If you want to lock-in your freshers week, then Sugar has you sorted for just £22.99. With their Freshers Wristband, not only do you secure you freshers week plans at a cheaper price, but you also get to enjoy it without the worry of fake tickets.
The Sugarhouse Freshers Wristband
Obviously, we can’t forget the Freshers Fair!
Every year, LUSU hosts our very own Freshers Fair at Lancaster University. It’s an opportunity for new (and existing) students to meet people and learn about all of the things Lancaster and LUSU have to offer.
From clubs at LUSU, to external companies from Lancaster and beyond – there’s something for everyone!
This year, we’re splitting the fair into two events.
Fresher’s Fair(s)
Active: Sport & Active Clubs/Socs
Wednesday 1st October 2025 12-4pm, The Great Hall (North Campus)
LUSU hosts a wide range of sporting, competitive, and performance-based events throughout the year, that wouldn’t be possible without the clubs who form them.
On 1st October, you can find out just how many sports clubs and active societies we have here at LUSU. From American Football to dance!
You can learn more about Sport at LUSU here. For sports updates, follow our @lususport account.
Discover: Societies, Culture & Special Interest
Thursday 2nd October 2025 12-4pm, The Great Hall (North Campus)
Societies are a huge part of what makes Lancaster so special. Which is why we’re proud to facilitate over 160 of them!
We have societies for almost anything. If you like it, we’ve probably got it. Interests range from theatre and music, all the way to Pokémon and Harry Potter. And they’re a great way to make friends and meet new people.
On 2nd October, you can join us and discover all things societies at LUSU. Get ready to delve into our host of clubs and meet our student media teams!
You can learn more about societies here. For society events and taster sessions, follow @lususocieties.
This year’s Fresher’s Fair is sponsored by Dominos.
Demos
If you’re looking for a little bit of a taster of what different clubs and societies do, then don’t worry! Throughout our Fresher’s Fairs, clubs will be hosting demos in the Jack Hylton Room adjacent to the main event. You’ll be able to catch our societies in action throughout the day in here! From Kickboxing to Salsa!
LUSU Farmers Market
Lancaster Square, Wed 1st & Thurs 2nd October
Waiting in the queue at one of our freshers fairs? Our LUSU Farmers Market will be taking up shop in Lancaster Square throughout Wednesday and Thursday, offering you the best small businesses in town.
Society & Sport Events
Speaking of our clubs, they’ll be hosting their own welcome events too!
During your first term, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try out different sports and society activities to decide what’s right for you. They’ll also host events for you to get together and meet new people – referred to as ‘socials’.
Keep an eye out here to keep up to date with society and club events in freshers and beyond.
Hang Out with the Colleges
At Lancaster, there are nine colleges – and you’ll be a part of one! During Welcome week, plenty of the colleges will host their own events for you to go to. You don’t have to go to only your own colleges events either, they’re for everyone!
Check out the full list of College Freshers Events here.
We hope you’ve found some events that you’re interested in to help you kickstart your new uni life!
For more key dates to fill up your Uni Calendar, check out this article, and keep up-to date with us by following us on instagram @lancastersu, or by signing up to our newsletter.
Written by Shannon Daniel
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & CREATIVE WRITING GRADUATE