Why is graduation not at NRG Stadium anymore?
For years, many Houston-area districts held their biggest ceremonies at NRG Stadium. The stadium’s operator has now told districts it will stop hosting graduations for most of them starting around 2027. Some ceremonies are moving to the smaller NRG Arena, and Humble ISD has asked Harris County Commissioners Court to keep access to the stadium.
The practical result for families: the venue on last year’s photos may not be this year’s venue. Check the district’s graduation page for your campus before you book anything, and send us the confirmed venue with the ceremony time.
Where do Houston-area districts hold graduation?
Daikin Park is the Astros’ ballpark, renamed from Minute Maid Park in 2025, so some families will search for it under the old name.
| District | Venue | Published dates | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humble ISD | Humble Civic Center, Daikin Park and Fertitta Center (2026 split) | May 21 to 24, 2026 | Moved off NRG Stadium in 2026; contesting the change for 2027 |
| Katy ISD | Legacy Stadium and Rhodes Stadium from the Class of 2027; Leonard Merrell Center for winter graduation | Spring: May 26 to 30, 2027. Winter: January 14, 2027, 7 p.m. | Five-day spring window across two stadiums |
| Aldine ISD | M.O. Campbell Educational Center, 1865 Aldine Bender Rd | Class of 2027 schedule published | Arena seats about 7,100 |
| Cy-Fair ISD | The Berry Center | Schedule and parking posted each spring | District-run venue with its own parking guidance |
| Houston ISD | Confirm with your campus | Fall/winter: January 23, 2027, 9 to 11 a.m. Spring: June 2 to 4, 2027 | Ceremonies streamed on HISD Now |
University commencements in Houston
Rice held its 2026 undergraduate ceremony outdoors at Rice Stadium, rain or shine, which is worth remembering when you plan what grandparents wear and how far they walk. Other Houston schools publish their schedules closer to the date; send us the ceremony details once your school posts them.
| School | Ceremony | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | December commencement | Monday, December 7, 2026, 10 a.m. | Tudor Fieldhouse |
| Rice University | May commencement weekend | Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8, 2027 | Doctoral ceremony Saturday 9 a.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse; undergraduate ceremony Saturday evening at Rice Stadium (tickets required) |
| University of Houston | Fall 2026 commencement | December 17 and 18, 2026 | Ceremonies including Cullen Performance Hall and Fertitta Center |
| University of Houston | Spring 2027 commencement | May 12 to 15, 2027 | Fertitta Center named for at least one session |
| Texas Southern University | Rehearsal and pinning ceremony | Thursday, December 10, 2026 | Health and Physical Education Arena |
The parking problem on graduation day
Stadium ceremonies, at Daikin Park, Rice Stadium, Legacy Stadium or Rhodes Stadium, move crowds the way a concert does: everyone arrives in one window and leaves in another. Civic centers and arenas such as the Humble Civic Center, M.O. Campbell, the Merrell Center and the Berry Center use different parking and exit plans from the stadiums, so check each venue’s current instructions.
The pressure points are easy to predict: several family cars converging on one lot, a grandparent who cannot manage a long walk, photos that run long, and a dinner reservation that will not hold the table. A chauffeur solves the walk and the timing; we drop at the closest permitted point and agree a pickup spot away from the busiest exits.
- Read your district’s parking page and any bag rules a week ahead.
- Choose one family member as the contact for the chauffeur.
- Pick a photo spot that is not the main exit.
- Book dinner for at least an hour after the scheduled end of the ceremony.
A graduation day plan, start to finish
| When | What | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours before | Pickup at home; graduate rides with the family or leaves earlier for check-in | Ask about a separate early car for the graduate |
| 75 minutes before | Drop-off at the venue’s permitted point; elders go straight to the door | The hourly block is running |
| Ceremony | Seated; phones on for the pickup message | Still on your hourly booking |
| After the ceremony | Photos at the agreed spot, away from the main exit | Pickup at the agreed spot |
| Dinner | The family celebration meal | Drop at the restaurant; return later or end the block |
Sizing vehicles for a graduation family
Many families split into two cars: one comfortable vehicle for parents and grandparents, where mobility needs come first, and another for the graduate’s friends after the ceremony.
| Group | Who | Suggested vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 | The graduate and parents | Sedan (3) or S-Class (3) for a small family |
| 4 to 6 | Immediate family with grandparents | Suburban (6) or Yukon XL (6), for families with elders |
| 7 to 13 | Extended family traveling together | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (13) |
| 14 to 24 | The graduate’s friend group, after the ceremony | Mini Coach (24) on request, or two Sprinters |
What does a graduation car service cost?
Pick 3, 4 or 5 hours to match your ceremony times; anything longer is quoted by text. Hourly prices are the same for pickups in any of our Houston service areas (Downtown, Galleria, the Texas Medical Center, IAH, Hobby, The Woodlands, Katy and Sugar Land), and 3 hours is $255.00 for a Chevrolet Suburban, $285.00 for a GMC Yukon XL and $375.00 for a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Longer days and buses are quoted by text.
If any rider is a minor, such as a younger sibling or a high school graduate, the trip is alcohol free for everyone; with adults only, drinking is limited to those 21 and older, as the operator’s rules allow. Graduation bookings get a confirmation within 15 minutes at any hour, and se habla español.
Vehicles we can send
Representative vehicle Chevrolet Suburban
Representative vehicle GMC Yukon XL
Representative vehicle Executive Sedan
Representative vehicle Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Representative vehicle Cadillac Escalade
Representative vehicle Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
- Group vehicle
Mini Coach
Up to 24 guests.
Quoted by text
- Partner vehicle
Stretch limousine
From our partners. Seats vary by vehicle.
Price on request
Hourly prices are for any pickup in the Houston area, 3-hour minimum. We confirm the exact vehicle in writing.