Over 60 businesses in Nottingham will be hosting in-store celebrations and exclusive offers for one night only for the first StudentFest event.
StudentFest will take place on Wednesday 4 October and is being organised by It’s in Nottingham in partnership with Nottingham City Council and intu.
From midday until late, students from Nottingham and further afield can enjoy live entertainment across the city centre, as well as exclusive shopping, eating and drinking discounts.
At the Brian Clough Statue, there will be a Crystal Maze dome filled with gold and silver tickets, where students can compete to collect the most points. They will then be placed on a leader board, with the top prizes including a £250 Urban Decay shopping voucher, free treatment worth £35 at Beauty Temple and a Jack Wills hoody.
There will be a range of stalls from businesses such as House of Fraser, MOD Pizza and Nottingham City Transport on Smithy Row, and over on Trinity Square, It’s in Nottingham will be hosting, in partnership with UniDAYS, a pop-up mobile video booth where guests will be in with a chance of winning a dream trip to Ibiza.
Businesses across the city will also be getting on-board for the night with exciting in-store activities – House of Fraser will be hosting a catwalk show, Paperchase will be holding an in-store party with refreshments and giveaways, there will be free pampering and demonstrations at The Body Shop, live music and beauty treatments at John Lewis, Kiehl’s will be hosting a student lock-in with skincare masterclasses and COW Vintage will have a DJ in-store and food and drink.
For those looking to discover a part of Nottingham’s history on the night, Nottingham Castle will be open late with free entry for students between 5pm and 9pm. Students will be able to explore all of the venue’s exhibitions and learn more about the legendary Robin Hood – all accompanied by a live DJ set and pop-up bar.
For students wanting to get into the Nottingham fitness and sports scene, there will be free court access at Nottingham Tennis Centre from midday to 5pm, and the John Carroll Leisure Centre, off Ilkeston Road, will be free for students including gym access, swimming and various fitness classes. The National Ice Centre will also be offering free ice skating sessions for students.
Nicola Tidy, one of the directors of the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), the organisation behind the It’s in Nottingham consumer brand, said: “We’re really excited about the StudentFest event and welcoming both new and existing students to the city centre. Nottingham has a great selection of shops, no matter your style or budget, as well as food and drink venues serving a range of world delicacies, which are all worth showcasing.
“Students are a vital part of Nottingham’s culture and we’re positive this event is going to be a fun afternoon and evening, when they’ll also get the chance to save money.”
Councillor David Mellen said: “Nottingham City Council is delighted to be working with local businesses, organisations like the Nottingham BID and our two world class universities to welcome students to the city again for 2017.
“StudentFest encourages students to get involved in a diverse mix of cultural, sports, leisure, retail and nightlife activities that Nottingham has to offer. The event and our student welcome activities are all about showcasing our city to students and their families who may be coming to live and visit for the first time.”
