Freshers' Festival has landed! After a long, hot summer, we're ready to announce your headliners. Get ready, it's spicy!
Freshers' Festival has landed! After a long, hot summer, we're ready to announce your line-up. Get ready, it's spicy!
What is Freshers' Festival?
Taking place across the first week of term (16-25 September), Freshers’ Festival is your introduction to the Students’ Union and everything we have to offer. We’ll be welcoming you to Royal Holloway in style with loads of free events, taster sessions and nights out (if that’s your thing).
Whatever you’re looking for, we’re here to provide you with the opportunities to shape your ideal university experience.
The line-up
None other than Sigma (DJ Set) joins us as your Freshers' Ball headliner (Sat 24 Sep), bringing you an explosive evening of all the best DnB hits in the iconic setting of Founder's South Quad. Legendary Sing It Back and singer-songwriter Katie Kittermaster will also be performing to give you a feel for how we do it at Royal Holloway!
Every Wednesday, Flawless takes over the Union Venue (your on-campus nightclub) and it's no different during Freshers' Festival. Flawless ft. Fuse ODG (Wed 21 Sep) promises a mix of Afro-pop, hip-hop, R&B, funk, and rock, taking your week 'Off Da Ground'! If rock is more your scene, don't miss the Nova Twins (DJ Set) at Smells Like Teen Spirit (Thu 22 Sep). Friday (23 Sep) brings house producer, garage MC, and resident Kiss FM DJ Majestic to Juicy.
And, if that wasn't enough - drag sensation, Cheryl Hole, and the amazing Danny Beard are performing at Glitterbomb (Tue 20 Sep) - expect sparkles to fly!
Our other two venues, The Packhorse and Medicine are also offering up a range of events including our weekly favourites Two for Tuesday and MedsBevs where cheap drinks and good times come as standard! This September, newcomers 5iver and Skint Saturdays enter the scene at The Packhorse, giving you even more choice to socialise and grab a bite!
Starting at Royal Holloway? Don’t miss out on getting your Freshers’ Festival wristband! For 12 days, first-year students have priority access to purchase a wristband, which gets you into all our biggest Freshers’ Festival events, including IBIZA: Dress In All White Party and VK Glow Up Party to name a couple.
Looking for a more chilled-out way to have fun and meet new people? We are also holding a mix of day and evening activities, from the Cultural & Faith Festival to a trip to get some essentials at IKEA. These are part of our Give It A Go programme, a whole load of alcohol-free events designed for anyone who wants to flex their creative muscles or maybe learn a new skill. Come and play some monopoly at Board Games & Chill or familiarise yourself with the campus on the Treasure Trail. Tea @Tommy’s is the perfect opportunity to chat with your Sabbatical Officer team over a hot drink and sweet treat and the Colour Run is not to be missed!
Check out the events programme
Wristband Packages
If you like what you see when it comes to our club night events, make sure you purchase a Freshers’ Festival wristband – the only way to guarantee your entry to all of our headline events.
What's included?
Silver (£50)
Fast-track entry to the following events:
Saturday Welcome Party (Sat 17 Sep)
VK Cosmic Party (Sun 18 Sep)
Ibiza Dress in All White Party (Mon 19 Sep)
Glitterbomb ft. Cheryl Hole & Danny Beard (Tue 20 Sep)
Flawless ft. Fuse ODG (Wed 21 Sep)
Smells Like Teen Spirit ft. Nova Twins (DJ Set) (Thu 22 Sep)
Juicy ft. Majestic (Fri 23 Sep)
Gold (£75)
Everything in the silver package + your ticket to Freshers’ Ball ft. Sigma (DJ Set) + more (Sat 24 Sep) - an incredible end to your Freshers' Festival experience.
When can I buy a wristband?
Wristbands will go on sale in two phases:
- First-year (including foundation) students: Wednesday 24 August (1pm)
- General sale: Monday 5 September (10am)
Individual event tickets are on sale from 10am on Monday 12 September.
Freshers' Ball tickets are on sale to first-year (including foundation) students now!
Buy a wristband
Keeping you safe
While Freshers’ Festival is obviously about having loads of fun, our number one priority is ensuring you can enjoy our events in a safe environment. As part of our work around student safety, we’ve invested heavily in anti-spiking measures, and we also have a Good Night Out Crew in our venues. You’ll see them wearing pink hi-vis jackets on a night out and their role is to ensure students have the support they need when attending evening events at the Union Venue and Medicine. Whether it’s related to mental health, physical injury, or as simple as helping you access lost property, find the right queue or bring up a complaint, the Good Night Out Crew are there to support you! All staff are Mental Health First Aid trained to engage in open discussion, recognise triggers and signpost to the relevant support services both within the College and SU, as well as external services.