UK Alumni Association invites community to free Homecoming Block Party Oct. 4
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 24, 2026) — The University of Kentucky will kick off Homecoming Week with a free community celebration 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at Alumni Commons.
Presented by the UK Alumni Association in partnership with Kentucky Mobile, the 2026 Homecoming Block Party will bring Wildcats of all ages together for an afternoon of music, food and giveaways.
The event is free and open to everyone, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, families, friends and members of the Lexington community. Free parking will be available in the lots surrounding Alumni Commons, located along Rose Street between Columbia Avenue and Huguelet Drive.
“Homecoming is about bringing people together and celebrating the connection we all share with the University of Kentucky,” said Jill Smith, executive director of the UK Alumni Association. “Whether you graduated from UK, work or study here, grew up cheering for the Wildcats or simply want to enjoy a fun afternoon, you are part of our Wildcat community, and we hope you will join us.”
The Commonwealth Band will perform live as guests enjoy games, free food from local food trucks and exclusive homecoming giveaways, including University of Kentucky sweatshirts, while supplies last.
With free admission, food and parking, the block party offers families an easy and affordable way to experience UK’s campus and take part in one of the university’s most spirited traditions.
The block party begins a week of homecoming activities celebrating UK traditions and the lifelong connections shared by Wildcats past, present and future.
Attendance is free, but guests are encouraged to RSVP online to help organizers plan for food and activities.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.