What’s Up: A Buckeye’s guide to Welcome Week festivities on campus

Helena Hennessy
Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:42:35 +0000
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Hundreds of students attend Buck-i-Frenzy for free food, prizes, and copies of The Lantern. Credit: Amal Saeed | Lantern File Photo

For incoming first-year students, Ohio State will host a variety of events throughout Welcome Week to celebrate the arrival of thousands of new Buckeyes on campus.?

Welcome Week for the ‘26-‘27 academic year will take place from Friday, August 21 through Monday, August 31. Read on to learn more about the experiences and information-based events that are available to attend.?

Saturday, August 22nd:?

WestFest (Lincoln Tower Fields & Women’s Field House)

This Welcome Week event will serve as a celebratory commencement of the week’s campus-based festivities. While the event is most accessible for residents of Morrill Tower and Lincoln Tower, it is open to all students from 1 to 4 p.m.?

The festival will offer a variety of vendors, community-based activities and entertainment acts consisting of music, field games, a photo booth, tie-dye station, henna artwork, free Kona Ice and a tug-of-war competition between Morrill and Lincoln Tower residents at 3 p.m.?

Sunday, August 23rd:?

Student Involvement Fair (Main Oval & South Oval)

First-year students are encouraged to attend campus’ annual Involvement Fair to gain information on student organizations. From 4 to 7 p.m., over 800 student-founded campus organizations, campus departments, and local nonprofits will line the South and Main Ovals with individual booths.?

Student representatives will engage with first-year students and provide information on ways to get involved across campus. Many clubs also hand out flyers and free goodies at their booths. Some organizations allow students to directly enroll by simply providing their student email address.?

The student organizations will be grouped in their respective categories, such as academic, community service, special interest and more. Maps of the fair layout will be provided to students upon entrance.?

Monday, August 24th:?

Convocation (Schottenstein Center)

This signature event serves as first-year students’ official welcome to the university. Hosted at 10:30 a.m. in the Schottenstein Center, students will hear from renowned university leaders and spokespeople, seasoned faculty, administrators and other special guests. This is where new students will be formally introduced to time-honored Ohio State traditions.?

Convocation is a special event, as it marks the only time that the entire class of 2030 can gather together prior to their graduation ceremony.?

Buck-i-Frenzy (Recreation and Physical Activity Center)

Held in and around the RPAC from noon to 3:30 p.m., Buck-i-Frenzy is a fun-filled event that offers unique opportunities for students to learn more about local and national companies. This lifestyle festival will provide the chance to interact with a variety of vendors — many will be providing free food and drink samples, as well as complimentary merchandise and coupons.?

Considering the community nature of this event, there will also be opportunities for students to engage with their peers. Hundreds of Buckeyes will be walking through West Campus as they scope out the landscape of the festival.?

WIPEOUT! (McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion)?

Students will be able to immerse themselves in the spontaneous and adventurous spirit of the Buckeye community through an aquatic obstacle course at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion beside the RPAC from 5 to 8 p.m. following Buck-i-Frenzy.?

Attendees can take on challenges inspired by those of the game show Wipeout (2008) with giant inflatables and water challenges in a test of balance and agility at this annual event.?

Wednesday, August 26th:

OUABlock Party (South Oval)?

This student-focused festival will take place at 6 p.m. on the South Oval and will feature tents and booths from various vendors and sponsors, supplying free merchandise for new Buckeyes. The event will also feature live music and food trucks available throughout the evening.?

Friday, August 28th:?

Community BLOC Party (University Square)

This event serves as a meet-and-greet for commuter and off-campus students to immerse themselves in campus life and mingle with their peers. The event offers informational resources and support through the office of Buckeyes Living Off-Campus.?

The event will also provide free food and drinks while students, faculty and community members are encouraged to get to know one another.