EVENT: UC Irvine will try to set a Guinness world record for the largest pillow fight. Associated Students of UCI will host the effort, which aims to recruit more than 4,000 campus and community participants.

WHEN/WHERE: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the fields near the Anteater Recreation Center, 680 California Ave. (bldg. 680, grid D10 on campus map).

INFORMATION: Media planning to attend should contact Laura Rico at 949-824-9055 or lrico@uci.edu. Attendance and parking are complimentary for media who RSVP in advance.

BACKGROUND: In what has become a Welcome Week tradition, members of the UC Irvine community will attempt to break a world record, this one currently held by Swedish DJ duo Dada Life, who rallied 3,813 concertgoers at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom in October 2013 for a record-setting pillow fight.

An adjudicator from Guinness World Records will ensure compliance with rules and confirm the number of players for world record certification.

Free T-shirts and pillows will be provided to those taking part. In addition, UCI’s Antrepreneur Center will unveil a “pillow trade” competition in which students can exchange their world record pillows for new items, with the hope of trading their way up to pay for college. Festivities will include food booths, student performers and an appearance by Peter the Anteater.

This is one of many activities scheduled for UC Irvine’s Welcome Week, during which more than 6,000 freshmen and transfer students will join the campus community. Among other events are an Anteater Involvement Fair; an “Aldrich Park After Dark” concert; a “Screen on the Green” showing of “22 Jump Street”; and a day of fun in the sun in Newport Beach.