A crowd of people at Welcome Fest
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Your Ultimate Guide to Welcome Fest

Enjoy USU’s legendary three-day festival.
Welcome Fest is a three-day festival held the week before the beginning of the semester. In 2025 it’ll run from Wednesday 19 February to Friday 21 February. From the official Welcome Ceremony to awesome (and free) social events, here are six things to tick off to ensure you get the best from Welcome Fest.

1. Don't miss the Welcome Ceremony

Eddie Woo

Eddie Woo is the keynote speaker at Welcome 2025.

Your official welcome to the University of Sydney, our Welcome Ceremony, kicks off in the Great Hall at 10 am on Wednesday 19 February.

The Ceremony celebrates Australia’s rich Indigenous culture with a Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country. There will also be welcome addresses from university and student leaders, and a special keynote address from our very own Eddie Woo, Australia’s most famous maths teacher.   

Come early to join us for a free breakfast in front of the Great Hall from 9 am. While supplies last, you can also collect your free commemorative Welcome t-shirt. 

Add the 2025 Welcome Ceremony to your schedule on the Welcome Planner.

A large crowd at the 2024 Welcome Ceremony participating in a smoking ceremony

The smoking ceremony at last year's Welcome Ceremony

2. Refuel with free food

Speaking of free breakfasts, you can treat your tastebuds without spending a penny at Welcome Fest, thanks to your student union, USU

USU Members can enjoy free hot coffee at the USUeats Coffee Cart at the Law Lawns from 9 am–2 pm daily, thanks to our friends at Vittoria Coffee and MILKLAB. Fancy an iced coffee instead? Grab one at the USUeats Iced Coffee Bar at the Great Hall from 10 am–3 pm.

Free lunch is available daily for USU members from 11:30 am until sold out at the USUeats Food Truck outside the Chau Chak Wing Museum. USU Reward members also get a free drink there thanks to our mates at Asahi. Free lunch is also available from 12:30 pm at the USU Food Caravan at the Great Hall.

For a sweet treat, you can nab a free doughnut (Wednesday), soft serve (Thursday) or salted caramel cookie (Friday) from the USUeats Food Caravan at the Great Hall from 2:30 pm until 3 pm. Exclusively available to USU Rewards Members.

If you haven’t yet become a USU Member, join now for free to ensure you can get your food and drink freebies. 

The USUeats Food Truck

Keep an eye out for the USUeats Food Truck on campus

3. Watch a movie on the big screen under the stars

The Welcome Fest Movie Night returns on Wednesday 19 February on the Quad Front Lawns. Bring your mates, picnic blankets, and your best movie-watching mood! Arrive early from 5:30 pm for a free meal, popcorn, candy and more. 

Entry is free but registrations are essential.

Students sitting on beanbags outside in front of an outdoor cinema.

Enjoy USU's Welcome Fest Movie Night and  watch a movie under the stars

Enjoy USU’s Welcome Fest Movie Night and watch a movie under the stars

4. Dance the night away at our Silent Disco

What better way to bond with new friends and have a blast with free food and refreshments at USU’s Silent Disco? Taking place on Thursday 20 February from 6–9 pm, you'll have the chance to groove to different genres with your friends while you soak up the iconic backdrop of the quad.

Spots are limited so register now before they’re gone!

Two students taking a selfie at a silent disco while other people dance around them.

Groove to different music genres at USU's Silent Disco

5. Experience a free limited performance work at Verge Gallery

The You're Welcome? exhibition at the Verge Gallery is curated by contemporary Indigenous Australian artist Billy Bain and explores how a group of young Sydney-based artists form, express, and interrogate ideas of what it means to be welcome in Australia. 

As part of the exhibit, Verge will host The Path, a series of limited performances created by Fei Gao which bring to life the diverse migration journeys of five friends, taking place in the context of You’re Welcome? during the Welcome Program. 

Check out the performance times and register now for The Path.

Two artists wearing costumes

Fei Gao, The Path, 2024 (pre-production still). Commissioned by Parramatta Artists Studios. Image credit: Garry Trinh.

6. Visit University, sports and USU club and society stalls

In between soaking up the sights and sounds of Welcome Fest, check out the 200+ clubs and societies on display along Eastern Avenue and Cadigal Green. 

With games to be played, freebies to be won, friends to be made, and essential information about starting university to be shared, the sea of stalls will keep you entertained for hours.

Students walking along Eastern Avenue during Welcome 2023.

How to access support during Welcome

A range of activities and services will help you feel at home at the University, whether you’re just starting with us or returning after the break. From academic advice to student wellbeing, you’ll find plenty of support hubs as you take in Welcome. 

Download the Sydney Uni app to find out more information and opening times of the support hubs available during Welcome. 

Got a question? Don’t be afraid to ask – feel free to approach our friendly Student Life Ambassadors (SLAs) and ask about anything you can’t find or figure out. SLAs are usually identified by a t-shirt that has 'Student Life Ambassador' written on the back.

Staying safe and cool

It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with our safety and emergency procedures before arriving on campus. Remember to practise sun safety when outdoors – wear sunscreen and protective clothing, seek shade and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. 

There are also several ‘cool zones’, 'shade zones' and ‘quiet rooms’ across the Welcome Fest site to help you stay cool. Follow the signs on campus to these zones or ask one of our friendly SLAs to show you the way.  

29 January 2025

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