- Play Hard
- 16th Sep 2026
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Calling all students: your ultimate guide to Freshers’ Week in the North East
Starting university can be a lot. Meeting new people, getting settled in, adjusting to a whole new schedule, and if you’re not familiar with the area, it can feel even tougher.
Freshers’ Week is where it all clicks into place, the parties, the nights out, and the first proper taste of what student life in the North East is really like. Whether you’ve landed in Newcastle, Sunderland or Durham, we’ve pulled together the events worth going to, the deals worth knowing and the bars worth visiting, so you can skip the guesswork and get straight into it.
NEWCASTLE
Freshers Takeover: The Points
3-4, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1UW
When: Sunday 20th September 2026
Price: Tickets from £6.00 (student drink discounts available on the night)
Home of the famous Skint parties, The Points hosts a Freshers Takeover designed to get all the new students in one place, an easy way to mingle and make friends from the get-go. Expect student drink discounts and plenty of unselfconscious dancing to kick the week off right.
Freshers Move-In – Soho Rooms
25-27 Mosley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1YF
When: Sunday 20th September 2026
Price: Tickets from £4.00
The second instalment of Soho Rooms’ Freshers Move In night, a first proper Sunday out for anyone newly settled into Newcastle or Northumbria, flatmates and all. Open to freshers and returning students alike.
Freshers Project – NX Newcastle
Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1SW
When: Monday 21st September 2026
Price: Tickets from £6.99
Now in its 15th year, Freshers Project has become the biggest student event of its kind in the UK, pulling over 10,000 students through its doors last year alone. Every ticket comes with a free t-shirt, collected on the night, and tickets bought early are fully refundable if your plans change before term starts.
Freshers and Freebies Fair – Northumbria University
Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST
When: Monday 21st to Tuesday 22nd September 2026
Price: Free entry
Two days of freebies from local and big businesses, expect free pizza from Domino’s, drink vouchers and the odd pen thrown in. No need to book, just pop down any time, with a quiet hour running for the first hour of the fair each day.
F*CK ME It’s Freshers – Digital
Times Square, Scotswood Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP
When: Tuesday 22nd September 2026
Price: Tickets from £10.46
A multi-room party built entirely around freshers, with free UV paint, neon glow sticks and LED batons creating an immersive club atmosphere across the night. Expect stilt walkers, confetti cannons, face painting and free sweets alongside the usual cheap student drinks, arrive by 11pm to guarantee smooth entry.
Your Official Freshers Soho Sports Night – Soho Rooms
25-27 Mosley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1YF
When: Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Price: Tickets from £4.00
Newcastle’s biggest sports night returns, now a joint effort between Soho Rooms and Loosedays for Wednesdays, a longstanding fixture of the city’s student nightlife whether you’re back early for pre-season or just want an excuse to get everyone together.
The Big Student Shop – Metrocentre
Metrocentre, Gateshead NE11 9YG
When: Thursday 24th September 2026
Price: Free (registration required for wristband)
The region’s biggest student shopping event returns, with over 100 exclusive discounts from the centre’s biggest brands, plus mega beer pong, a human fruit machine, live DJs across the centre and food deals from student favourites like Wingstop and Café Filto. Students pre-register online and collect a wristband on the night from the check-in desks, showing a confirmation email and valid student ID.
Tropiloco in the Warehouse – Digital
Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP
When: Saturday 26th September 2026
Price: Tickets from £9.50
Newcastle Uni Freshers Tour takes over Digital’s warehouse space for a one-night-only superclub takeover exclusively for Newcastle students, with 3,000+ expected across multiple rooms of high-energy party hits.
The Big Welcome Day – Newcastle University
Student Forum, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
When: Wednesday 30th September 2026
Price: Free entry
Part of NUSU’s year-round Big Welcome programme of events, fairs, markets and activities. Meet the teams, have a go at a few activities, pick up some freebies, grab food and a hot drink, and enjoy some music along the way, or simply take a walk through Student Forum on the day and say hello.
SUNDERLAND
Your Freshers Fair – University of Sunderland
Chester Road, Sunderland SR1 3SD
When: Wednesday 16th September 2026
Price: Free
Taking over City Campus for the day, with societies, Team Sunderland’s sports teams and both local and international businesses on hand with freebies galore. Expect queues, so an early arrival is recommended to make the most of it, and a quiet half hour is available for anyone who’d prefer a calmer visit.
Beach Social – Roker Beach
Old North Pier, Roker, Sunderland SR6 0PN
When: Friday 18th September 2026
Price: Free
Your SU teams up with H3O Beach Saunas for a fresh-air social on Roker Beach, with a sauna and plunge pool set up alongside the sea, plus sports games on the sand from Team Sunderland. Swimwear and a towel are the only essentials, changing tents provided.
Spinning Sesh – CitySpace Fitness Studio
CitySpace Building, Chester Road, Sunderland SR1 3SD
When: Friday 18th September 2026
Price: Free
Your SU, Team Sunderland and CitySpace Fitness turn the fitness studio into a nightclub for one session, complete with glowsticks and pumped-up music. Spaces are limited to 20, booked directly with CitySpace Fitness by email or phone.
ABBA Disco – Independent
27-28 Holmeside, Sunderland SR1 3JE
When: Friday 18th September 2026
Price: £5.00
With four successful years under their belt, this has become a firm Freshers’ Week favourite, featuring live ABBA tribute band Absolutely ABBA for a full night of disco classics.
2008: The Club Night – Independent
27-28 Holmeside, Sunderland SR1 3JE
When: Saturday 19th September 2026
Price: £6.00
Independent’s usual Saturday craic with a 2008 twist, all the biggest tunes from that year, plus half-price drinks for members between midnight and 1am and £10 shot and cocktail deals throughout the night.
The Big Student Shop – The Bridges
The Bridges, Sunderland SR1 3DR
When: Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Price: Free (register in advance for wristband)
Sunderland’s own version of the Big Student Shop returns to The Bridges, with exclusive offers, savings and giveaways from participating retailers across the afternoon. Students register online ahead of time and collect a wristband on arrival to unlock the deals.
DURHAM
Welcome Fair: Sports, Activities and Interests Fair – Durham University
Maiden Castle, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3SE
When: Tuesday 29th September 2026
Price: Free (ticket required)
Day one of Durham SU’s two-day Welcome Fair, covering everything from rowing and rock climbing to swing dancing and netball, plus interest groups from the Anime Society to the Hot Chocolate Society. Commercial stalls bring student deals, discounts and freebies alongside it. A separate free ticket is needed for each day, with the first hour reserved as a calmer Accessibility Hour.
Welcome Fair: Clubs and Societies Fair – Durham University
Maiden Castle, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3SE
When: Wednesday 30th September 2026
Price: Free (ticketed required)
Day two turns to student groups, from the Law Society and Women in Business to Student Theatre, the University Orchestra and Islamic Society. A chance to explore culture, faith, music and volunteering opportunities, with a separate free ticket required and the same Accessibility Hour running for the first hour.
ARCHIVES – Home & Botanic
1-4 North Road, Durham DH1 4PW
When: Tuesday 29th to Wednesday 30th September 2026
Price: Tickets from £7.84
A new throwback party built entirely around 00s and 10s anthems, real commercial, indie, cheesy and R&B/hip hop tracks rather than overplayed TikTok remixes. Expect confetti cannons, old-school sweets and cheap student drinks alongside some of the UK’s biggest DJs.
Molly Ferry
CONTENT ASSISTANT
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