UVA Family Weekend and Visit Dates for 2026-27

UVA Family Weekend in 2026 was October 23 to 25, and UVA had not posted the 2027 date as of November 7, 2026. Below are the other dates that shape a 2026-27 visit to Charlottesville: home football, breaks, exams, Finals Weekend and when the official tours run, each from UVA's own calendars. Plan the day around them, then add a private, student-led tour of Charlottesville.

When is UVA Family Weekend in 2026 and 2027?

UVA Family Weekend in 2026 ran Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, and the 2027 Family Weekend date was not posted as of November 7, 2026. UVA's events listing describes it as "an opportunity for families to visit with their students in the fall and celebrate their accomplishments," run by Orientation and Transition Programs (UVA events, Family Weekend).

What fell on the 2026 weekend:

Friday, October 23: UVA played Duke at Scott Stadium.
October 21 to 25: the Virginia Film Festival, which Student Affairs flagged to parents in its fall 2026 dates letter.
Two weeks earlier, Homecomings Weekend, Friday, October 9 to Sunday, October 11, 2026, with the Syracuse game on October 10.

For 2027, the registrar's 2027-28 academic calendar lists no Family Weekend yet, and the Student Affairs Family Weekend page sits behind a UVA login. In 2026, Student Affairs announced the date to parents in a February letter, so watch for a 2027 letter from the same office.

Family Weekend is built for current students' families. A prospective family's first visit fits better on a weekday, when the official tours run.

When is the best time to visit UVA?

The best time to visit UVA is a weekday while classes are in session, when the official information session and tour run and students are on Grounds. On UVA's 2026-27 calendars, those windows are:

November 9 to 24, 2026, and November 30 to December 8, the last day of fall classes. Official sessions are on the admission events calendar at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on listed weekdays, as of November 7, 2026.
January 20 to March 5, 2027, and March 15 to May 4, 2027, spring classes outside spring recess. The spring 2027 tour calendar is due out in December.

Two school tours add to a weekday visit. McIntire's 30-minute commerce tour runs Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m. through April 30, 2027, and UVA Engineering's 50-minute tour runs Monday to Saturday at 1 p.m. while classes meet. Neither needs a reservation.

Book the official session as soon as you have a date. Admission "cannot overbook or offer waitlists," and on November 7, Tuesday, November 24 and the one fall Saturday, December 5, were already full.

Which weekends should we avoid when visiting Charlottesville?

The weekends to avoid when visiting Charlottesville are UVA home football weekends, Thanksgiving, exam weeks and Finals Weekend in May. Each date below is from UVA's own calendars, as of November 7, 2026.

Home football, Saturday, November 14 (Cal, 3:30 p.m.) and Saturday, November 21, 2026 (North Carolina, kickoff to be set) (Virginia football schedule). Scott Stadium seats 61,500. "Typically we're sold out on home football weekends," the visitor bureau's marketing director told C-VILLE Weekly in September 2020. The same story said the Draftsman hotel sells out most on graduation weekend and home games against teams within driving distance, like UNC. UVA Engineering cancels its tour on home game days.
Thanksgiving recess, November 25 to 29, 2026. No classes, and no official sessions on the calendar those days.
Exams, December 10 to 18, 2026 and May 6 to 14, 2027 (registrar). Students are studying, and winter break begins December 19.
Finals Weekend, Friday, May 21 to Sunday, May 23, 2027, UVA's graduation. UVA's Major Events office warns that "area hotels often fill very quickly" and recommends booking "as early as possible" (Finals lodging).
Days on the Lawn, April 2027, UVA's admitted-student days. The 2027 dates were not posted as of November 7, 2026; in 2026 they ran April 10, 13, 18 and 20, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our guide for students admitted to UVA covers them.
Fall 2027 home football starts Saturday, August 28 (Arkansas State) and includes Saturday, October 16 (William & Mary). Other home dates were still to be set.

If your trip has to land on one of these dates, book the hotel first. Our one-day UVA visit plan covers parking and the day itself.

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

Classes at UVA in 2026-27 began Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and end Tuesday, May 4, 2027, according to the registrar's 2026-27 academic calendar, read November 7, 2026.

Fall 2026

Fall Arrival and Welcome: August 20 to 24
Courses began: Tuesday, August 25
Fall Reading Days, no classes: October 3 to 6
Election Day, no classes: November 3
Thanksgiving recess: November 25 to 29
Courses end: Tuesday, December 8
Examinations: December 10 to 18

January 2027 (J-Term): January 4 to 15

Spring 2027

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, University holiday: Monday, January 18
Courses begin: Wednesday, January 20
Spring recess: March 6 to 14
Courses end: Tuesday, May 4
Examinations: May 6 to 14
Finals Weekend: May 21 to 23

Fall 2027, from the 2027-28 calendar: Fall Arrival and Welcome August 19 to 23, courses begin Tuesday, August 24, and Thanksgiving recess runs November 24 to 28, 2027.

Can we visit UVA over winter break or in the summer?

Yes, you can visit UVA over winter break or in the summer, but without classes and with fewer tours. As of November 7, 2026, the admission events calendar shows no in-person sessions from December 9 through the end of January 2027, and the spring calendar comes out in December.

What runs and what stops when classes are out:

Winter break starts Saturday, December 19, 2026. J-Term classes meet January 4 to 15, and spring classes begin January 20.
UVA Engineering's tour does not run "when classes are not in session."
McIntire's tour is "not offered during the summer or during University holidays and academic breaks."
Summer 2027: Summer Session I runs May 17 to June 11, and later sessions run into early August, so some classes meet.
The self-guided tour in the Undergraduate Admission at UVA app works any day.

With most classes out, a break visit shows the buildings more than daily student life. If a break is the only time you can come, a private tour with a current UVA student is $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes, seven days a week, early or late, around your visit.

Frequently asked questions

When is UVA graduation in 2027?

UVA graduation in 2027 is Finals Weekend, Friday, May 21 to Sunday, May 23, 2027, according to UVA's Major Events office and the registrar's calendar. Spring exams end May 14. Major Events says area hotels "often fill very quickly," so families attending should book rooms as early as possible. Finals Weekend 2028 is May 19 to 21.

When is UVA spring break in 2027?

UVA spring break in 2027 is spring recess, Saturday, March 6 to Sunday, March 14, 2027, per the registrar's 2026-27 academic calendar. McIntire's and Engineering's building tours do not run during academic breaks, so a spring visit works best before March 6 or after March 14. Spring classes end May 4.

Does UVA hold classes on Labor Day?

Yes, UVA holds classes on Labor Day. The registrar's calendar marks Labor Day 2026, September 7, with "Academic Division classes will be held," and lists the same for Labor Day 2027, September 6, 2027. A Labor Day weekend visit can include a Monday with students in class, while Fall Reading Days in October are the fall break with no classes.

When do UVA students arrive for fall 2027?

UVA students arrive for fall 2027 during Fall Arrival and Welcome, Thursday, August 19 to Monday, August 23, 2027, and courses begin Tuesday, August 24, 2027, per the registrar's 2027-28 calendar. Our guide to UVA first-year dorms explains the halls first-years are assigned to.

Sources, read November 7, 2026: UVA registrar, 2026-27 calendar · UVA registrar, 2027-28 calendar · UVA admission events calendar · UVA Major Events, Finals · Virginia football schedule · C-VILLE Weekly, September 9, 2020