Students attending Welcome Week and The Big Deal can expect a lot of food and a lot of fun as the week works its way into the weekend.

The Big Deal is UNA’s official welcome to freshman and transfer students, and it always promises to be a good time. It runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and will feature some special events, such as a DJ, door prizes and showcases from local vendors. It is also a chance to get involved with organizations on campus.

“It’s about creating an environment with free food and fun where students can hang out and chat while learning about different resources,” said Tammy Jacques, director of student engagement at UNA. “The Big Deal allows returning and new students to learn what organizations are on campus and how you can get involved. It also showcases vendors around town.”

Some of the door prizes include an iPad donated by Best Buy, an iPod shuffle donated by Riverbend, assorted items donated by Bed, Bath, and Beyond, a room makeover by Listerhill Credit Union, and a plethora of gift cards and coupons from various vendors in the community.

After the Big Deal, there is a pep rally featuring the UNA cheerleaders, mascots, speeches from the coaches and the Pride of Dixie Marching Band. Afterwards, students needing a fix for their sweet teeth can attend the ice-cream fellowship sponsored by the Baptist Campus Ministry at their building on Wood Avenue.

As the week winds down, Welcome Week speeds up. Friday is walled in by free food with events like Snacks at the Library, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and a cookout on campus, running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is all capped off by a concert at the amphitheater featuring Ben Skipworth, Owen Whitehurst, Rosedale and Dillon Hodges. The concert will be set up “Woodstock style,” according to Skipworth, with each artist playing 30-minute sets. The concert lasts from 7-9 p.m.

The weekend ends with the Panhellenic Recruitment Tea Sunday afternoon. Girls who are interested in joining a sorority have an orientation at 11 a.m. in the GUC performance center, followed by tea at 2 p.m. in the Applebee dormitory.