Radar: Liverpool Freshers’ Week Fun: A Guide

Yes, it’s that time of year again. It’s Christmas time for Smiffy’s Serious Fun - as a fresh batch of students arrive in town, to don Superhero costumes and find nirvana at the back of Bar CaVa. And we love them, even the ones who run over our cars. No, actually, we hate them.

Welcome, lovely new students, to our city. We hope you find it to your liking. We hope carnage, Medication, Kimos and the Krazy House live up to your expectations. Yeah, ok, we’re just jealous that we don’t get ID’d for anything now apart from Silver Screen Sundays at FACT.

UNFOLD, the Student Life people, have decided to hold a Freshers Fayre this year - covering all those topics you probably won’t find at the official venues.

“We’re here as a small company to prove there is space for a company that knows what students want,” says Unfold’s David Williams.

“We’ll introduce the influx of students to a selection of the best venues, whether it’s for a night out, haircut, slap-up meal or accommodation. We have 18 stalls set up in Concert square, and a week of exciting daytime events including a Meet ‘n’ Greet at Rehab Bar, Shipwrecked and UNFOLD does Marbella on PlanetBar Lightship.” (with or without forest fires they don’t say - Ed)

The Freshers Fayre will be taking place at Concert Square on Tuesday the 18th of September from 2.00pm-6.00pm. And it’s free.

Meanwhile, LGoS - Liverpool Guild of Students, are holding their Welcome Week from 15 September, kicking off with a mammoth party on the 15th, and finishing with a BeatFeast at Magnet on 28th. Is that more than a week? We think so.

On the 22nd it’s the big shiny Welcome Ball, featuring Auckland’s finest Zane Lowe, at the LGoS. You can pay for events individually (the UV Rave and Headphones Disco is a mere snip at a fiver) or save £50 by paying for a £42.50 wristband. And we’d say it’s always wise to spend your loan wisely, so splash out and save. You know it makes sense.

Liverpool John Moores University’s freshers week runs from 8th September, with a welcome ball on the 22nd. They’ve pretty much got the same deal going on, with a £42.50 wristband and, yep, 15 days of fun, foam and fancy dress. Yay! (before you start your Pharmacy course, trust us, that’s exactly what you’ll need).

Liverpool Hope University’s Welcome Week offers nine days of cocktail nights, club nights, gigs, walkabouts, foam and UV fun. You’ll get all this for just £40 and, like LJMU and Liverpool Uni, events are spread around the city’s student-friendly drinking dens: Bumper, Garlands, Ludus and the like.

LIPA’s Freshers’ week (OK, two weeks) kicks off on Saturday 15, and continues with open mics, film nights, and gigs galore. Wristbands are £55, and you can get the lowdown here . The Big Event is at the Kazimier on 20th September - with Ady Sulieman, Ninetails and lots of local bands. And the wristband gets you into the Winter Ball too. Nice.

Meanwhile, the mighty Edge Hill University’s freshers’s week starts comparatively late - on 22th September. Expect an Ormskirk town take over, quizzes, balls and, well, you know the drill by now. Oh, and The Inbetweeners’ James Buckley. Wristbands are a snip at £35.

Hey, what the hell, you’re only without student loan debt once. Enjoy yourselves out there. Just watch our Skoda Fabia, yeah?