Darden Final Exercises Weekend 2026: What to Know
By Caroline Mackey
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business will celebrate the Class of 2026 during UVA Final Exercises Weekend, 15 –17 May.
Key Events:
Saturday, 16 May:
10:30 a.m. Student line-up
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Darden Academic Regalia Ceremony (Flagler Court)
1 – 3 p.m. Sherwood Frey Graduation Picnic
Sunday, 17 May:
9 – 11 a.m. UVA Final Exercises (The Lawn)
Tickets & Viewing:
- No tickets required for the Darden ceremony on Flagler Court.
- All students must have a digital student ticket and all guests must have a digital Final Exercises ticket for the Lawn ceremony.
- Guests should follow UVA’s clear bag policy for the Lawn.
- Remote and online viewing options will be available.
Parking & Transportation:
- Each graduate receives one D10 garage parking pass, valid for both Saturday and Sunday.
- ADA and overflow parking are available in the D1 lot.
- No additional parking passes are available.
- Shuttle buses will run from Darden to the Lawn starting at 7 a.m. Sunday.
Regalia & Distribution:
- Full-Time MBA caps, gowns, parking passes and severe weather tickets were distributed 31 March on Flagler Court.
- Executive MBA materials are distributed during LR2.
- Part-Time MBA materials are distributed through program management.
- Students unable to pick up items should coordinate directly with Darden.
Weather Plan:
The Darden Academic Regalia Ceremony and picnic have severe weather plans in place, which may impact location, seating and ticketing.
More:
- A class photo will be taken following the ceremony on the steps of Saunders Hall.
- The Sherwood Frey Graduation Picnic will be held across Darden Grounds with a BBQ buffet (including vegan and gluten-free options), beverages, dessert stations and family-friendly entertainment.
- The event is designed as a zero-waste celebration with compostable materials.
- Programs and professional photos will be available following the ceremonies.
- Graduates can also attend Sunday’s “Last First Coffee.”
Visit Darden Final Exercises resources for updates and UVA’s Finals Weekend site for full details.
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. Darden’s graduate degree programs (Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Executive MBA, MSBA and Ph.D.) and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact. Darden’s top-ranked faculty, renowned for teaching excellence, inspires and shapes modern business leadership worldwide through research, thought leadership and business publishing. Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area and a global community that includes 20,000 alumni in 90 countries. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Press Contact
Molly Mitchell
Senior Associate Director, Editorial and Media Relations
Darden School of Business
University of Virginia
MitchellM@darden.virginia.edu
