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Key Events

Below you'll find Key Events for K Week 2026! Beyond the Key Events, many student organizations host open houses, information sessions, and fun get-togethers, so you’ll want to check out all those offerings on the UK Guides app in August 2026 to see what interests you!

Since it is the second step of the orientation process to UK, all new students are expected to attend K Week and have the opportunity to customize their experience by creating a schedule that reflects their needs and interests.

Be sure to bring your WildCard student ID and BBNvolved Event Pass as attendance will be taken at many events.

When you’re not attending K Week events, we encourage you to explore campus and Lexington, stop by UK Bookstore to pick up any textbooks and school supplies you might need, and connect with others living around you. This time prior to the first day of classes is meant to ease your transition to the UK community and help you feel more comfortable on our campus!

Take a look at the key events for the K Week 2026 schedule below! If you have any questions about the 2026 K Week schedule, please feel free to reach out to us at k-week@uky.edu

Pre-K Week

There are a few events that will occur before K Week begins that you should know about! Check them out below. 

K Week Tabling Prep for Registered Student Organizations: 8/18 early afternoon

Join the Office of Student Organizations and Activities for resources and supplies to prepare your Registered or Sponsored Student Organization for tabling at Campus Ruckus, K Week Open Houses and more! SOA will offer tabling supplies, trifold rentals, access to printing, and information on ways to engage students in tabling in the Center for Student Involvement (GSC A252). Supplies, as available, will include fabric tablecloths, trifold boards, card stock and access to printing for handbills and flyers. Information on best practices in tabling will also be provided. 

Please come with intended printed materials prepared. Graphic design not available at this event. 

Kroger Back to School Bash: 8/18 evening

K Week doesn't start until tomorrow, but the fun won't wait! Free shuttle buses will run continuously during the event and will pick up and drop off students at Wildcat Alumni Plaza (home of the Bowman statue on Avenue of Champions across from Memorial Coliseum) AND outside W.T. Young Library on Hilltop Avenue. Don't miss this fun opportunity to catch a bus with other UK students and enjoy a late-night Kroger run! Stock up on items for your room, soft drinks, snacks, school supplies, and anything else you might need to be at home at UK. You'll be able to buy all this and more while enjoying free food, cool activities, and prizes! Sponsored by Kroger, the official grocery partner of move-in.

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

It's officially K Week at the University of Kentucky! Check out all of the key events happening throughout the week and remember to download the full schedule here

Key Event: 8-10 PM

More information coming soon!

Thursday, August 20, 2026

College Meetings: 8 AM - 5 PM

All new students are expected to attend their designated meeting; attendance will be taken. Specific times and locations for each college will be announced in August. 

Sensory/accessibility note: depending on the college, this event may include large groups.

Campus Ruckus: 7-11 PM

More information coming soon!

 

Friday, August 21, 2026

Pick Your Path: 8 AM - 5 PM

Pick Your Path is a day set aside during K Week for you to spend time getting to know more about some of UK's wonderful campus resources. You get to decide what you want to learn more about – attend as many as you want! You'll meet new people around campus, get free stuff, and learn more about UK. Check the UK Guides mobile app in mid-August for information on all the paths available.

Sensory/accessibility note: depending on the session, this event may include large groups.

Big Blue U: 7-10 PM

More information coming soon!

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Student Organization Welcome Events: 8 AM - 6 PM

All day until the key event.

Check the UK Guides mobile app in mid-August for a full schedule of events and activities hosted by many of our registered student organizations.

Key Event: 7-10 PM

More information coming soon!

Sunday, August 23, 2026

Student Organization Welcome Events: 8 AM - 6 PM

All day until the key event.

Check the UK Guides mobile app in mid-August for a full schedule of events and activities hosted by many of our registered student organizations.

Key Event: 7-10 PM

More information coming soon!

After K Week

The fun doesn't stop at K Week! There are many events occurring after K Week ends. Check some of them out below! You can also log into BBNvolved to find more at go.uky.edu/bbnvolved

Keep the First Day Photo Tradition Alive! 8/24

Get ready for the most picture-perfect tradition of the year! Remember those adorable first-day-of-school photos from your childhood? Well, guess what? We're keeping that heartwarming tradition going strong here at UK!

 

Every fall semester, as the campus buzzes with excitement, we capture the magic of your college journey's first day. It's not just a photo; it's a memory in the making!

 

But wait, there's more! Your amazing snapshots will be featured on the UK Parent and Family Engagement and Alumni Association Facebook pages later in the week. Imagine your family and friends back home, bursting with pride as they see you starting your semester in style! And because we love to spoil our students, we'll have coffee trucks in the morning sponsored by Interfraternity Council and snacks in the afternoon. Who doesn't love free drinks and food, right?

 

Times & locations TBD

Labor Stay! 9/4 - 9/7

Make plans to stay on campus for the annual Labor Stay weekend,  Friday, September 4, through Monday, September 7.   

Get excited for student-favorite events like the Street Fair and Slimestone, with movies, trivia, karaoke, yard games, service opportunities and so much more! Events will be held throughout the Student Center and around campus. And of course, you don't want to miss the first "Caturday" of the season – get your tickets for the first home football game here.  

Some Labor Stay events will be UK Invests eligible, so you can earn money when you attend. Make sure to check in when you arrive.