It’s high school graduation season. How to navigate 2025 ceremonies in the Triangle
Graduation season is coming for thousands of high school seniors and their friends and family members who will descend on the Triangle to watch them walk across the stage.
Class of 2025 graduation ceremonies will take place this week in Johnston County and for early college high schools across the region. Those schools started classes earlier in August than most high schools.
The bulk of graduations will come in June when families will pack the Raleigh Convention Center, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Dean Smith Center.
Here are some tips to help guide you through graduation season.
Heavy traffic is likely. Practice patience.
Graduation attendees are being asked to bring plenty of patience and to arrive early for the ceremonies. Graduates themselves are usually expected to arrive an hour early, so allow significant time for parking and traffic.
It’s particularly challenging for people traveling to downtown Raleigh for the Wake County school system’s graduation ceremonies. There will be 27 graduations in downtown Raleigh from June 13 to June 18.
Graduates and their guests will have to navigate around the traffic and people at other events, such as the Beabadoobee concert at Red Hat Amphitheater on June 16.
What not to bring to graduation
Most venues prohibit noisemakers, confetti, balloons, wrapped gifts, firearms and alcoholic beverages from being brought to the ceremony.
Many venues either require or strongly suggest attendees only bring clear bags. That means items such as backpacks and camera bags are often prohibited.
On the other hand, cameras and flower bouquets are usually safe to bring.
How you can watch graduations online
If you can’t go in person, many schools stream their graduations online.
Some school districts have put together websites with their graduation schedules, links to watch the ceremonies online and tips for attending the ceremony.
▪ Wake County school system: wcpss.net/graduation
▪ Durham Public Schools: dpsnc.net/o/dps/page/graduation
▪ Chapel Hill-Carrboro: chccs.org/our-district/graduation
▪ Orange County: orangecountyfirst.com/graduation
▪ Johnston County: johnston.k12.nc.us/article/2057808
The Triangle graduation schedule
Tuesday, May 20
▪ Wake STEM Early College, Meymandi Hall, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 21
▪ Vernon Malone College and Career Academy, Meymandi Hall, 8 a.m.
▪ Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies, Meymandi Hall, 12 p.m.
▪ Wake Early College of Health and Science, Meymandi Hall, 4 p.m.
▪ Knightdale High School, Reynolds Coliseum, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 22
▪ Wake Young Men and Women’s Leadership Academies, Meymandi Hall, 8 a.m.
▪ North Wake College and Career Academy, Meymandi Hall, noon
▪ Choice Plus Academy, West Campus Conference Center, 1 p.m.
▪ JCPS Virtual Academy, Smithfield-Selma High gym, 2 p.m.
▪ Chatham Early College, Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center, 7 p.m.
▪ Southeast Raleigh High School, Reynolds Coliseum, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 23
▪ Corinth Holders High School, CHHS Football Stadium, 9 a.m.
▪ South Johnson High School, SJHS Football Stadium, 9 a.m.
▪ Cleveland High School, John Jacobs Stadium, 10 a.m.
▪ Smithfield-Selma High School, Charles Tucker Stadium, 10 a.m.
▪ West Johnston High School, WJHS Football Stadium, 10 a.m.
▪ North Johnson High School, NJHS Main Gym, 5 p.m.
▪ Clayton High School, Nixon-Fowler Stadium, 6 p.m.
▪ Princeton High School, Deacon Jones Gym, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28
▪ Durham Early College of Health Sciences, N.C. Central McDougald-McLendon Arena, 9 a.m.
▪ City of Medicine Academy, N.C. Central McDougald-McLendon Arena, noon
▪ Durham School of Technology, N.C. Central McDougald-McLendon Arena, 3 p.m.
▪ Middle College High School at Durham Tech, N.C. Central McDougald-McLendon Arena, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, June 4
▪ One Academy, 468 Renaissance Dr. in Pittsboro, 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 5
▪ Northwoods High School, school campus, 7 p.m.
Friday, June 6
▪ Seaforth High School, school campus, 10 a.m.
▪ Chatham Central High School, school campus, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 7
▪ Jordan-Matthews High School, school campus, 10 a.m.
Monday, June 9
▪ Project SEARCH, Embassy Suites in Cary, 2 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11
▪ Lakeview School, school campus, 9 a.m.
▪ Durham Performance Learning Center, school campus, noon
▪ The School for Creative Studies, Hillside High, 3 p.m.
▪ Ignite! Online Academy, Hillside High, 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 12
▪ Southern School of Energy & Sustainability, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium, 9 a.m.
▪ Northern High School, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium, 1 p.m.
▪ Durham School of the Arts, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium, 5 p.m.
Friday, June 13
▪ Enloe High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 a.m.
▪ Hillside High School, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium, 9 a.m.
▪ Broughton High School, Holliday Gym, 10 a.m.
▪ Garner High School, Raleigh Convention Center, noon.
▪ Riverside High School, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium, 1 p.m.
▪ Orange Ridge High School, Dean Smith Center, 3 p.m.
▪ Millbrook High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 4 p.m.
▪ Jordan High School, Duke Cameron Indoor Stadium, 5 p.m.
▪ Phoenix Academy, East Chapel Hill High, 6 p.m.
▪ Cedar Ridge High School, Dean Smith Center, 7 p.m.
▪ Apex Friendship High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 14
▪ Wakefield High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 a.m.
▪ East Chapel Hill High School, Dean Smith Center, 9 a.m.
▪ Athens Drive High School, Raleigh Convention Center, noon.
▪ Chapel Hill High School, Dean Smith Center, 12:30 p.m.
▪ Carrboro High School, Dean Smith Center, 4 p.m.
▪ Green Hope High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 4 p.m.
▪ Sanderson High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 p.m.
Sunday, June 15
▪ Leesville Road High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 2 p.m.
▪ Green Level High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 6 p.m.
Monday, June 16
▪ South Garner High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 a.m.
▪ Longview School, school campus, 10 a.m.
▪ Heritage High School, Raleigh Convention Center, noon.
▪ Wake Forest High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 4 p.m.
▪ Cary High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17
▪ Rolesville High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 a.m.
▪ Phillips High School, Meymandi Hall, 10 a.m.
▪ Fuquay-Varina High School, Raleigh Convention Center, noon
▪ Crossroads FLEX High School, Meymandi Hall, 2 p.m.
▪ East Wake High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 4 p.m.
▪ SCORE, Memorial Auditorium, 6 p.m.
▪ Willow Spring High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18
▪ Apex High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 a.m.
▪ Middle Creek High School, Raleigh Convention Center, noon.
▪ Panther Creek High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 4 p.m.
▪ Holly Springs High School, Raleigh Convention Center, 8 p.m.
