Information for Families & Guests

Stay Up to Date

• Sign up for updates. We recommend that students and their families/supporters sign up to receive texts and emails for updates concerning weather plan, schedule changes, and emergency notifications.
• Follow William & Mary Commencement on Facebook
• Download the W&M Mobile app and tap W&M Grad (available in early May).

Ticketing

Registration

Tickets are required for all guests attending the Main Ceremony Friday, May 16, in Zable Stadium. Class of 2026 graduates may request tickets during the Commencement registration period (Feb. 20 – March 22). Graduating students will receive an email in February with a registration link. Each graduate may initially request up to four guest tickets for the ceremony at Zable Stadium. During registration, graduates may also indicate if they wish to receive any additional tickets that become available after the period closes. Requests for extra tickets will be reviewed, and requestors will be notified in mid-April if they can be accommodated. 

Distribution

All tickets are electronic and will be emailed to graduates in mid-May. Graduates must forward tickets to their guests, who may present them either printed or on a mobile device. Mobile tickets should be open and ready for scanning at the entry gate. Each ticket is valid for a single scan and may not be duplicated. Children age 2 and under do not need a ticket.

Inclement Weather

If severe weather occurs, the ceremony will move to Kaplan Arena. Due to limited indoor capacity, graduates will receive only two guest tickets, regardless of any additional requests. No exceptions can be made regarding ticket limits, but families and supporters can watch the event via livestream. 

Parking

• Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Allow plenty of time and please be alert for pedestrians.
• The following parking lots are recommended for the main ceremonies:
  • Kaplan Arena Parking Lot
  • Compton Parking Lot
  • Parking Deck on Ukrop Way
• Recommended parking for department ceremonies will be provided.
• If you do not require accessibility accommodations, we recommend parking as close as possible to your final ceremony location to avoid traffic delays that often occur immediately after each ceremony.
• Only guests who display a state-issued ADA tag or license plate will be permitted to park in ADA-accessible spots. Please visit the university's accessibility parking site to review regulations and requirements and to view a map of recommended parking locations.
• The Stadium Drive parking lot will be closed to general parking beginning at noon Friday for Main Ceremony low-mobility parking. Vehicles without a disability tag are expected to clear the lot by 2 p.m.
• Inclement weather only: If the Main Ceremony is moved indoors to Kaplan Arena but the student Walk Across Campus (pdf) is able to safely take place, traffic along Ukrop Way will be significantly slowed for up to 30 minutes beginning around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Shuttles

Shuttles are provided primarily for those who may have difficulty walking distances. A shuttle arrives approximately every 15-20 minutes during the following times:

Prohibited Items & Clear-Bag Policy

Allowable bags

• Clear tote bags made of plastic, vinyl or PVC that do not exceed 24″ x 12″ x 24″
• One-gallon clear plastic zip-style bags
• Small purses or clutch bags that do not exceed 6.5″ x 4.5"
• Medical or diaper bags – diaper bags must be accompanied by a child

 Prohibited bags

• Backpacks 
• Printed or tinted plastic bags
• Cinch or drawstring bags
• Fanny packs
• Camera or binocular cases
• Large purses or bags 

 Additional prohibited items

• Outside food & drinks (except for factory sealed, non-alcoholic beverages, no larger than one liter; juice boxes, factory sealed infant snacks, and baby food). 
• Coolers, ice chests, containers
• Chairbacks with armrests
• Use of any tobacco products including e-cigarettes and vapor apparatuses
• Illegal substances
• Balls, Frisbees
• Umbrellas
• Pets
• Signs larger than 24" x 36"
• Artificial noisemakers
• Laser pointers
• Use of drones
• Cameras with a lens greater than 4"
• Laptop computers
• Firearms and other weapons
• Anything deemed unsafe by police or event staff

Regulation and Implementation

• There is no re-entry to facility.
• Clear bags are required.
• As a condition for admission, all patrons understand and agree to reasonable inspection of their person and possessions by representatives of the institution.
• Patrons engaging in disorderly conduct or interfering with the activity or refusing inspection or to dispose of prohibited items will be denied attendance. The foregoing is without prejudice to any other right or remedy to the institution

Main Ceremony Entrances

Friday, May 15, 2026

• Zable Stadium (pdf) 
• Inclement weather only: Kaplan Arena (pdf)

Weather Plan

If severe weather occurs, the ceremony will move to Kaplan Arena. Due to limited indoor capacity, graduates will receive only three guest tickets, regardless of any additional requests. No exceptions can be made regarding ticket limits, but families and supporters can watch the event via livestream. 

The inclement weather decision will be announced by Thursday evening before the ceremony.

Seating

• Seating for guests is General Admission
  • Zable seating (pdf) 
  • Inclement weather only: Kaplan seating (pdf)
• Children 2 and younger do not require a ticket
• Graduates will be seated on the stadium or arena floor
• Graduates participating in the ceremony do not require a ticket.

Accessibility Accommodations

• Only vehicles with a Limited Mobility Access Pass displayed in their front dashboard OR a state-issued ADA tag/license plate will be able to drop-off at an access point (pdf) adjacent to the Main Ceremony location.
  • ADA parking is first-come, first-served. The Limited Mobility Access Pass and/or state issued placard or license plate do not guarantee access to ADA parking.
  • Passes will be provided electronically to students who requested them.
  • The driver will then be directed to park as close as possible to the stadium or arena.
  • Due to high traffic volume, there may not be enough spaces to park immediately adjacent to the stadium or Arena.
  • Our Parking Services staff will do their best to direct you to the most convenient lot.
  • For additional convenience, there will also be limited mobility shuttles available from certain parking areas throughout campus. 
• Guests who can climb some steps will be ushered to lower rows of seating we have reserved and may sit with one companion.
• Guests who cannot climb stairs will be ushered to the limited mobility seating area on the floor and may sit with one companion.
• Guests in wheelchairs or scooters will be ushered to the limited mobility seating area on the floor and may sit with one companion.
• We will have American Sign Language interpreters at the Main Ceremony and others upon request. Guests requiring live ASL interpretation will receive a vehicle access pass in order to drop off at the access point.
  • Students must request ASL interpreters from their department heads for their individual degree ceremonies. 
• Live closed captioning will be available on the ceremony livestream.
• Diagrams showing locations of wheelchair and limited mobility seating areas:
  • Zable seating (pdf)
  • Inclement weather only: Kaplan seating (pdf) 

Ceremony Timeline

The main ceremony on Friday will last approximately two hours from 6-8 p.m.

Ceremony Livestream

A livestream of the Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2026 will be available.

Watch Livestream

Lodging (Special Rates)

Some local hotels, inns, and B&B's offer special discounts to W&M guests and visitors. 

Announcements & Graduation Merchandise

• Personalized announcements packages may be ordered online through Jostens.
• Diploma frames and other graduation merchandise are available at through the Spirit Shop & Bookstore.

Flowers and Mementos for Your Grad

Flowers are available for pre-purchase online.  

All online orders will be available for pickup inside the stadium after the gates open for the main ceremony.  To retrieve your order on Friday evening, please stop by the flower vendor booth next to the Tribe Spirit Store concession stand. The flower vendor booth will be located on the Richmond Road & Alumni House corner inside the stadium. Flowers will be available for pick up Friday from 5:30 p.m. through the end of the ceremony. 

To retrieve your orders on Saturday, please stop by the flower vendor booth located next to the TribeTrailer Stand at the Sadler Terrace. Flowers will be available for pick up from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday.