Senior Commons: LFHS Class of 2026

Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony

Class Of 2026 Graduation Ceremony Details

June 6, 2026

Lake Forest High School (Front Lawn)

Tickets

• Tickets will be required if the ceremony is moved into the Field House due to inclement weather. Four tickets will be emailed to the parent or guardian of each student the day of the ceremony if necessary. Tickets will be scanned from your cell phone.

Arrival Time

• Graduates should be dropped off by 1:30 pm in the back parking lot and will proceed to the Field House.

• Guests may enter the seating area on the front lawn after 1:15 pm

Campus Parking

• Campus parking is ONLY for attendees with disabilities and current State-issued handicapped parking identification. Handicapped parking can be accessed from the south entrance to campus on Noble Avenue.

• Cars carrying guests who do not have a handicapped placard but need assistance may also enter the south entrance to campus on Noble Avenue to drop off and then park off campus.

• Golf carts will be available to assist anyone who needs help getting from the parking lot to the front lawn.

• A map detailing all parking areas is below for your convenience.

Off Campus Parking Options

• Guest parking will be available at the Lake Forest Market Square Train Station and the Lake Bluff Train Station. We will provide school bus service to LFHS.

• Additional parking is available at Lake Bluff Middle School and Sheridan School. We will NOT be providing shuttle service from these locations, but they are both within walking distance of the high school.

• Side street parking surrounding the high school is available as posted by Lake Forest Police. Some streets will be converted to one-way streets to facilitate parking. Please obey all posted parking signs.

Seating

• Guests may enter the seating area after 1:15 pm

• Reserving seats prior to 1:15 pm is not permitted.

• There will be three tents set up to provide shade for guests who do not wish to be in the sun.

Live Streaming

• The LFHS Graduation Ceremony will be live-streamed for anyone who wishes to watch from home.

• Additionally we will be live-streaming the event in the Raymond Moore Auditorium for anyone who wishes to be on campus but watch from indoors. First come, first served and limited to 550 seats.

Shuttle Service

• School buses will be used to provide transportation to LFHS. Shuttles will run from 1:00 pm until 2:30 pm from both train stations (Lake Forest and Lake Bluff). Service will resume after the ceremony, beginning around 4:15 pm, and will continue until all guests have departed.

Weather

• If we experience inclement weather, a decision will be made by 10:00 am the morning of the graduation as to the location of the ceremony. In the absence of inclement weather, this will be an outdoor event. Please plan accordingly, ie - umbrella, sunscreen, etc. This information will be communicated via our Bright Arrow alert system, email blasts and posted on the LFHS website.

Day of Event Schedule

10:00 am Venue change announcement if inclement weather

1:00 pm Shuttle buses begin transporting guests from Lake Forest and Lake Bluff train stations

1:15 pm Guests may enter the seating area at LFHS

1:30 pm Graduate drop-off in back parking lot for staging - graduates proceed to the Field

House

2:30 pm Shuttle service ends

2:30 pm Procession of graduates

4:00 pm Shuttles resume to transport guests back to Lake Forest and Lake Bluff train stations. Shuttles will run until all guests have departed.

Stream the Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremony below:

 

Cap & Gowns:

Cap & Gowns were ordered in November and will be distributed at Graduation Rehearsal.  If you did not order a cap and gown you would have been notified.  

Graduation Attire:

• Students are encouraged to wear long dress pants, collared shirts, ties, a dress, or skirt, dress shirt or blouse, dress shoes, socks, or dress sandals. 

• Students who are wearing jeans, shorts, gym shoes, boots, or sport/casual sandals (e.g., Birkenstocks, Toms, rubber shower shoes, flip-flops, etc.) or other inappropriate attire will NOT be allowed to participate in graduation.  Students must remain in the proper attire for the duration of the ceremony.

New This Year - Honors Regalia

Decorating caps and gowns has been previously prohibited by Lake Forest High School during graduation ceremonies. However, recent legislation, Public Act 103-0463, protects and upholds the rights of students to wear or accessorize their graduation attire with general items that may be used by a student to associate with, identify, or declare the student’s cultural, ethnic, or religious identity or any other protected characteristic or category identified in subsection (Q) of Section 1-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Our graduation ceremony is the Lake Forest High School community’s opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our graduating class. Graduation attire should not be disruptive to the ceremony or disrespectful to others.

Lake Forest High School will honor student requests to accessorize their graduation attire related to this legislation. Additionally, Lake Forest High School will permit the following academic regalia (cords/tassels/stoles) to be worn:

1. Valedictorian (to be handed out at graduation) - Gold stole

2. Salutatorian (to be handed out at graduation) - Gold stole

3. All Honors Societies (Chinese Honor Society, National Honor Society ) - Gold tassel

4. Cum Laude - Gold cord

5. Illinois State Scholar - Blue/Gold cord

6. National Merit Finalist - White stole

7. Student Council President - White cord

8. Student Council Vice President - White cord

9. Military, Police, and Fire Service Commitment - Red/White/Blue tassel (must notify LFHS via form below)

10. Boy Scouts Eagle Scout Award - Red/White/Blue tassel (must notify LFHS via form below)

11. Girl Scouts Gold Award - Red/White/Blue tassel (must notify LFHS via form below)

Lake Forest High School will notify graduates who are eligible to wear these respective cords prior to the ceremony. Regalia will be distributed at graduation rehearsal and will be provided by the district. 

Families who wish to order regalia for the honors mentioned above (#s 9, 10, & 11) must fill out this form prior to Friday, May 9.

Class of 2026 Graduation Signs

More information to come soon!

 

 

Please see below for livestream recordings of LFHS graduation ceremonies from past years:

• 2025: https://www.youtube.com/embed/BJbJeC58hKc?si=wV3yPdmZx65bK5_0
• 2024: https://youtu.be/ir_0PWRFuk4
• 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNElmb5Sfoc
• 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QozAYnhGKYw
• 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iymerBKPlbQ
• 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczUlvcJbs0
• 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1U5yC3dA7g
• 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPtsOjVvxAg