Join Us for Lighting of the Lawn 2025!

When prospective students and parents ask us about our favorite traditions, Lighting of the Lawn tends to be on the list. This is a community event that started after 9/11 to bring some joy to the UVA Grounds. The event has gotten larger and more elaborate over the years with all kinds of dance and vocal performances, a class poem, and a dance party (with a drone show last year!) at the end. 

Here's a 2-minute look at the event, including some behind-the-scenes footage!

This year's Lighting of the Lawn theme is Remix: A Quarter of Century of Light. You can join us via a livestream starting at 7 PM. 

My personal favorite show was in 2014, when we didn't think they'd be able to light of the Rotunda because it was fenced off and covered in scaffolding for a restoration project. There were lights...and then they added more lights...and still more lights. It was amazing!

btw: Don't miss the class poem at 8:40 PM! Yours truly got to read the poem a few years ago along with UVA football coach Tony Elliot, Julie Caruccio (AVP for Research and the mounted Cavalier mascot), and economics professor Ken Elzinga. It was a blast!