UVA has not yet set the 2026 Lighting of the Lawn date. The last two ran on early December Fridays from 6 p.m. Schedule, security rules, parking and entrances.

Last checked Nov. 7, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from UVA Today’s coverage of the 2025 event and its visitor guide for 2024. We will add the 2026 date, schedule and rules when the university publishes them.

The University of Virginia has not yet announced the date of the 2026 Lighting of the Lawn. The student-run show of lights, music and performances in front of the Rotunda was held on Friday, Dec. 5, in 2025, and Friday, Dec. 6, in 2024. Both times it fell on the last day of fall classes, just before final exams. This page will carry the 2026 date as soon as UVA posts it.

At a glance

  • When: 2026 date not yet announced; recent years ran on the first Friday of December
  • Where: the Lawn, University of Virginia, with the main stage in front of the Rotunda
  • 2024 schedule: doors 6 p.m., performances 7 p.m., light show 9 p.m.
  • Bring: warm clothes and a small bag; expect metal detectors and bag checks

Is it on this year?

Lighting of the Lawn has run every year since 2001, when students started it to lift the university after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to UVA Today. Members of Class Council lead it, the Department of Drama helps with lighting design, and the event is funded by donations, grants and local business partners. The 25th show went ahead in snow and 30-degree cold on Dec. 5, 2025, so expect it to run in bad weather. As of Nov. 7 the university had posted no 2026 date or theme.

What happens on the night

UVA’s 2024 visitor guide gave this schedule:

Time What
6 p.m. Doors open; food trucks and activities on South Lawn
7 p.m. Welcome and performances on the main stage in front of the Rotunda
8:40 p.m. Poem reading
8:50 p.m. Singing of “The Good Old Song”
9 p.m. The light show begins
  • Performers: 27 student groups, including a cappella groups and dance teams, in both 2024 and 2025.
  • Food and drink: food trucks on South Lawn, and free hot chocolate, apple cider and cookies in 2024.
  • Drones: a drone display was added in 2024. In 2025 low clouds grounded the 200-drone show on the night, and UVA moved it to 8 p.m. the following Wednesday.
  • After the night: in 2025 the lights stayed up on the Lawn through the end of the year.

Security, entrances and parking

These were the 2024 rules. Check the 2026 notice before you go.

  • Screening: everyone passes through metal detectors and a bag check.
  • Not allowed: outside drinks, folding chairs and animals other than service animals.
  • Entrances: on the sidewalks in front of Garrett Hall and Rouss & Robertson Halls. For accessible entry, use the west-side gates near Hotel A, Patterson Alley or Garrett Hall.
  • Parking: the Central Grounds Parking Garage charges; the Culbreth Parking Garage was free after 5 p.m.
  • Timing: organizers asked guests to arrive at least 45 minutes early.

Crowds fill the Lawn, and in 2025 some students arrived at 5:30 p.m. for a spot at the front. Expect slow traffic around Central Grounds and University Avenue that evening. Check our road construction and closures page and the getting around guide for downtown and university parking.

The same weekend in town

If the 2026 show follows the pattern, it lands the night before the city’s all-day Grand Illumination on the Downtown Mall on Saturday, Dec. 5, and the opening weekend of Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker. See our Christmas parade and tree lighting page, holiday lights and Christmas events and Nutcracker and holiday shows.

What this means for you

  • Hold the first Friday evening of December, but wait for UVA’s announcement before you plan around it.
  • Dress for a long, cold evening outdoors; the light show is the last thing on the program.
  • Leave bags, chairs and pets at home, and arrive early for parking and screening.

Know the 2026 date or schedule from the organizers? Tell us with a link to the official announcement.

Frequently asked questions

When is Lighting of the Lawn 2026?

The University of Virginia had not announced the 2026 date as of Nov. 7. The last two were held on Fridays in early December: Dec. 6, 2024, and Dec. 5, 2025, the last day of fall classes. We will add the date when UVA posts it.

What time does Lighting of the Lawn start?

In 2024 doors opened at 6 p.m., performances began at 7 p.m. and the light show started at 9 p.m., after a poem and the singing of “The Good Old Song.” The 2025 performances also started at 7 p.m.

Where do I park for Lighting of the Lawn?

In 2024 UVA pointed visitors to the paid Central Grounds Parking Garage and to the Culbreth Parking Garage, which was free after 5 p.m. The organizers said to arrive at least 45 minutes early for parking and security.

What can I bring to Lighting of the Lawn?

Everyone passed through metal detectors and bag checks in 2024. Outside drinks, folding chairs and animals other than service animals were not allowed.

How long do the lights stay up on the Lawn?

After the 2025 event UVA said the holiday lights would stay on the Lawn through the end of the year.