University of Kentucky Dining hosted the first official Wildcat Welcome at Champions Kitchen in the Gatton Student Center to kick off the new school year.

Held on Wednesday, Aug. 27, the event featured custom airbrushed hats, Kentucky trivia with prizes and a Kentucky-themed menu, aiming to introduce students to UK Dining and the variety of events it hosts throughout the year.

While UK Dining typically hosts a welcome event every year, this is the first year of Wildcat Welcome, according to Devon Hurley, the marketing director for UK Dining.

“It gives freshmen specifically an opportunity to not only connect with each other, but to connect with all the opportunities that they have on campus, to be involved and to just get to know their new home,” Hurley said.  

Students who attended the event could customize their own hats, which Bluegrass Airbrush then airbrushed. 

According to Hurley, students usually receive free T-shirts at campus events, which is why UK Dining decided to do something more “unique” in the form of airbrushed hats.

“Airbrushed hats were going to be a good way to give them (students) the option to customize it for themselves,” Hurley said. “So if they wanted something that they could just wear any time or wear to games, they could do that. It was just something that was a little different.”

Chris Wright, a freshman finance and accounting major, was unaware that the event was happening but decided to stay to get a hat and participate in trivia. 

“We get cool gear and it helps us just feel more comfortable around campus,” Wright said. “Classes and stuff are pretty stressful, so it helps us decompress and get used to the campus.” 

The event also featured a Kentucky-themed menu, including derby pie, Kentucky burgoo and Kentucky hot brown.

Cody Goode, chef manager of Champions Kitchen, was responsible for designing the menu for the event and said many of the ingredients were locally sourced.

“We tried to design a couple of the menus geared toward Kentucky themes,” Goode said. “We also source a lot of local products from around local farms and regions.”

According to Goode, some of the locally sourced menu items included brisket, corn, bacon and sweet potato. 

Anyla Barker, a junior interdisciplinary disability studies major, said she enjoyed getting to try the Kentucky menu items at the event. 

“I think it’s just important to get involved on campus and just see what they (UK) have and use all your resources,” Barker said. 

According to Sidney White, a freshman economics major, the event also served as a good opportunity to meet new people. 

White said Wildcat Welcome was the first UK Dining event she attended and decided to attend in between classes to make new friends.

“Everybody’s just been very welcoming and inviting and super kind, so it’s just a good environment,” White said.