Tulane Family Weekend and Visit Dates to Plan Around

Tulane's parents weekend in 2026 is Wave '26 Weekend, November 5 to 8, which combines Homecoming, Reunions and Family Weekend. This post lists every other date that matters for a 2026-27 Tulane visit: university closures, Mardi Gras, the city's big event weekends, breaks, finals and commencement, each with its source.

When is Tulane parents weekend in 2026?

Tulane parents weekend in 2026 is Wave '26 Weekend, November 5 to 8, the university's combined Homecoming, Reunions and Family Weekend. The families office describes it as "a combined celebration of Homecoming, Reunions, and Family Weekend that we call 'Wave Weekend,'" and sends families to homecoming.tulane.edu for the schedule, registration and travel discounts (families office).

What the 2026 schedule includes:

Friday, November 6: open houses, mini-reunions and lectures across campus, and the Tipping Point concert at the Orpheum Theater (alumni reunion schedule).
Saturday, November 7: Tulane plays Tulsa at Yulman Stadium, with an 11 a.m. Central kickoff on ESPNU, as of October 2026 (Tulane athletics). Tailgate Village opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 10:30 a.m. (game day info).

For a family whose student already attends, this is the weekend to come. For a prospective family it is a crowded one: alumni, current families and a home game share Friday and Saturday, and the official tours on November 6 and 7 were already full on Tulane's booking page as of October 29, 2026.

When is the best time to visit Tulane?

The best time to visit Tulane is a weekday while classes are in session and New Orleans is between big events. For 2026-27, per the registrar's undergraduate academic calendars, that means:

November 2026, outside Wave Weekend (November 5 to 8) and Thanksgiving week (November 23 to 29), plus November 30 to December 4.
January 11 to April 7, 2027, outside the Sugar Bowl (January 15), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 18), Mardi Gras week (February 3 to 9) and spring break (March 20 to 28).

Students are on campus then, and the official tour runs weekdays at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Tulane admission, as of October 2026). Some Saturdays have a 9 a.m. tour; the booking calendar shows which.

Book the official tour early. As of October 29, 2026, Tulane's booking page already showed November 20 and 23 and February 13 as full, along with Wave Weekend.

Early fall is still hot: September highs average 88 degrees in New Orleans, against 62.5 in January (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals, New Orleans International).

Which dates should we avoid when visiting Tulane?

The dates to avoid when visiting Tulane in 2026-27 are the university closures, the student breaks and the big New Orleans event weekends. Each date to avoid comes from the source linked beside it, as of October 2026.

Wave '26 Weekend, November 5 to 8, 2026, for prospective families. Alumni, current families and a home game fill campus, and official tours on November 6 and 7 were full as of October 29, 2026 (families office).
Thanksgiving week, November 23 to 29, 2026. Students are on break, and the university is closed November 26 and 27 (Tulane HR holidays). The Bayou Classic, Grambling vs. Southern, is at the Caesars Superdome on Saturday, November 28, and its organizers say "November is a busy time for New Orleans" (Bayou Classic).
December 23, 2026 to January 1, 2027. No official Tulane tours on the booking calendar as of October 29, 2026, and the university is closed December 24 to January 1 (Tulane HR holidays).
Sugar Bowl, Friday, January 15, 2027. A College Football Playoff semifinal at the Caesars Superdome (Allstate Sugar Bowl).
Mardi Gras week, February 3 to 9, 2027, with Tulane closed February 8 and 9. The visitor bureau lists parades every night that week (tentative as of October 2026) and says "Flights and hotels fill up fast" (New Orleans & Company). In 2026 the St. Charles streetcar stopped from February 12 until the morning of February 18 while buses ran the route (RTA). No 2027 plan was posted as of October 2026.
Spring break, March 20 to 28, 2027. Students are away (registrar calendars).
April 2027. French Quarter Festival April 8 to 11, Crawfest on campus April 17, and Jazz Fest April 22 to 25 and April 29 to May 2.
Commencement, Saturday, May 15, 2027 (registrar calendars).

If you must visit Tulane on one of these dates, book lodging first. Our one-day Tulane visit plan lists hotels along St. Charles Avenue.

When do classes start and end at Tulane in 2026-27?

Classes at Tulane in 2026-27 started on Monday, August 17, 2026, and end on Wednesday, April 28, 2027, with spring finals May 1 to 6, according to the registrar's undergraduate academic calendars, as of October 2026.

Fall 2026

Classes began Monday, August 17
Fall break: October 1 to 4
Thanksgiving break: November 23 to 29
Last day of classes: Friday, December 4
Finals: December 7 to 12

Spring 2027

Classes begin Monday, January 11
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, university closed: Monday, January 18
Mardi Gras holiday: February 8 and 9, classes resume February 10
Spring break: March 20 to 28, classes resume March 29
Last day of classes: Wednesday, April 28
Finals: May 1 to 6
Commencement: Saturday, May 15

The registrar's proposed-calendar page lists spring break as March 22 to 28. Both versions take the same class days off, Monday, March 22 to Friday, March 26.

Returning students move back into the halls on January 9 and 10, 2027 (housing important dates).

Can we visit Tulane in the summer or over a break?

Yes, you can visit Tulane in the summer or over a break. Over Thanksgiving and winter break, the booking calendar showed official tours on most weekdays; the weekdays with none were November 26 and 27 and December 23 to January 1 (as of October 29, 2026). January 18 and February 8 and 9 had none either. In summer, the admission office's Louisiana Campus Preview Days are "geared specifically toward Louisiana high school students" (special programs, as of October 2026); other families can check the booking calendar for summer dates.

With classes out, a summer or break visit shows the buildings more than daily student life. Two things to plan for in a New Orleans summer:

Heat and rain. Highs average about 90 to 91 degrees from June through August, and June is the wettest month, at 7.62 inches (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals). Walk early in the day and carry water.
Hurricane season. "The official hurricane season for the Atlantic basin is from June 1 to November 30," and the peak is September 10, "with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October" (National Hurricane Center). Book refundable travel for those weeks.

A private Uptown New Orleans tour is $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes, and runs any day of the week, including Sundays.

Frequently asked questions

When is Mardi Gras 2027, and is Tulane closed?

Mardi Gras Day is Tuesday, February 9, 2027, and Tulane is closed Monday, February 8 and Tuesday, February 9, with classes resuming Wednesday, February 10, per the registrar's Spring 2027 calendar. The visitor bureau's 2027 parade dates were still tentative in October 2026, so check them before you book.

Is Tulane closed over winter break?

Yes, for part of it: Tulane is closed from December 24, 2026 to January 1, 2027, per Tulane HR's holiday schedule. As of October 29, 2026, the admission office's booking calendar showed no official tours from December 23 through January 1. The university reopens January 4, and spring classes begin January 11, 2027.

When is Tulane commencement 2027?

Tulane's commencement is Saturday, May 15, 2027, according to the registrar's Spring 2027 academic calendar. Finals run May 1 to 6. Families attending should book hotels early.

What time is the Tulane homecoming game in 2026?

The Tulane homecoming game in 2026 is Saturday, November 7, against Tulsa at Yulman Stadium, with an 11 a.m. Central kickoff on ESPNU, per Tulane athletics as of October 2026. Tailgate Village opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 10:30 a.m., 30 minutes before kickoff, per the homecoming site.

Sources, read October 29, 2026: Tulane families office, Family Weekend · Tulane registrar, undergraduate calendars · Tulane HR, university holidays · Tulane campus tour booking · Tulane housing important dates · NOAA climate normals · National Hurricane Center climatology