# Family Weekend, in the right light: 26 East Coast colleges, October 16 to November 8, 2026

> For families visiting a college this fall: the walls on each campus and in the town beside it that the sunrise or sunset lands on square during Family Weekend, when to be there between the events, and where to stand for the family picture. One article per school, 26 schools, three weekends.

This is the Markdown form of https://hengedays.com/articles/family-weekends-2026, with the same words as the page.

For October 16 to November 8, 2026.

Twenty-six East Coast colleges hold Family Weekend between October 16 and November 8, 2026, in three clusters. For each one, Henge Days has computed the walls on the campus and in the town beside it that the rising or setting sun lands on square that weekend, from building outlines, and an article gives the buildings a visiting family walks past anyway, the weekend's schedule with the light written in beside it, and the spot and the quarter hour for the family picture. Post yours with #HengeDays.

In this article

- [October 16 to 18](#october-16-to-18)
- [October 22 to 25](#october-22-to-25)
- [October 30 to November 1](#october-30-to-november-1)
- [November 4 to 8](#november-4-to-8)
- [Every school, with the sun times](#every-school-with-the-sun-times)
- [Schools that have not posted 2026 dates](#schools-that-have-not-posted-2026-dates)
- [How the list was made](#how-the-list-was-made)

The articles arrive school by school over the coming days; a card below opens when its article is up, and the rest say Coming. Every date and time comes from the Henge Days engine for the wall's own bearing, each entry carries the accuracy note, and no stand point is in a road.

[Weekend 1**October 16 to 18**1 school, 1 writtenSunset Saturday 6:27 PM](#october-16-to-18)[Weekend 2**October 22 to 25**17 schools, 17 writtenSunset Saturday 5:48 to 6:52 PM](#october-22-to-25)[Weekend 3**October 30 to November 1**3 schools, 1 writtenSunset Saturday 5:31 to 6:00 PM](#october-30-to-november-1)[Weekend 4**November 4 to 8**5 schoolsSunset Saturday 4:35 to 5:35 PM](#november-4-to-8)

*Each dot is a campus, at its latitude and longitude, colored by weekend; a filled dot has its article. The coastline is not drawn.*

### October 16 to 18

- [George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · October 16 to 18Sunrise 7:20 AM · Sunset 6:27 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-gmu-family-weekend-2026)

### October 22 to 25

- [University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VA · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:31 AM · Sunset 6:24 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-uva-family-weekend-2026)
- [Christopher Newport UniversityNewport News, VA · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:22 AM · Sunset 6:17 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-cnu-family-weekend-2026)
- [UNC Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:31 AM · Sunset 6:29 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-unc-chapel-hill-family-weekend-2026)
- [Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC · October 22 to 25Sunrise 7:41 AM · Sunset 6:39 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-appalachian-state-family-weekend-2026)
- [Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · October 22 to 25Sunrise 7:49 AM · Sunset 6:52 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-emory-family-weekend-2026)
- [Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · October 22 to 25Sunrise 7:08 AM · Sunset 5:48 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-harvard-family-weekend-2026)
- [MITCambridge, MA · October 23 and 24Sunrise 7:07 AM · Sunset 5:48 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-mit-family-weekend-2026)
- [Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:07 AM · Sunset 5:48 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-northeastern-family-weekend-2026)
- [UMass LowellLowell, MA · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:09 AM · Sunset 5:48 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-umass-lowell-family-weekend-2026)
- [University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:08 AM · Sunset 5:51 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-uri-family-weekend-2026)
- [Trinity CollegeHartford, CT · October 23 and 24Sunrise 7:13 AM · Sunset 5:55 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-trinity-college-family-weekend-2026)
- [Fairfield UniversityFairfield, CT · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:14 AM · Sunset 5:58 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-fairfield-family-weekend-2026)
- [Columbia UniversityNew York, NY · October 23 and 24Sunrise 7:17 AM · Sunset 6:02 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-columbia-family-weekend-2026)
- [NYUNew York, NY · October 22 to 25Sunrise 7:17 AM · Sunset 6:02 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-nyu-family-weekend-2026)
- [Fordham UniversityBronx, NY · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:16 AM · Sunset 6:01 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-fordham-family-weekend-2026)
- [University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:20 AM · Sunset 6:08 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-penn-family-weekend-2026)
- [Haverford CollegeHaverford, PA · October 23 to 25Sunrise 7:21 AM · Sunset 6:08 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-haverford-family-weekend-2026)

### October 30 to November 1

- [Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT · October 30 to November 1Sunrise 7:27 AM · Sunset 5:44 PMRead](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-middlebury-family-weekend-2026)
- Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · October 30 to November 1Sunrise 7:14 AM · Sunset 5:31 PMComing
- Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA · October 30 and 31Sunrise 7:29 AM · Sunset 6:00 PMComing

### November 4 to 8

- College of CharlestonCharleston, SC · November 4 to 8Sunrise 6:42 AM · Sunset 5:23 PMComing
- University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · November 5 to 8Sunrise 6:58 AM · Sunset 5:35 PMComing
- Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA · November 6 to 8Sunrise 6:30 AM · Sunset 4:35 PMComing
- Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · November 6 and 7Sunrise 6:35 AM · Sunset 4:48 PMfirst-year families
- Rollins CollegeWinter Park, FL · November 6 to 8Sunrise 6:41 AM · Sunset 5:35 PMComing

### Every school, with the sun times

SchoolCityFamily WeekendSunrise SatSunset SatArticle[George Mason University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-gmu-family-weekend-2026)Fairfax, VAOctober 16 to 187:20 AM6:27 PMPublished[University of Virginia](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-uva-family-weekend-2026)Charlottesville, VAOctober 23 to 257:31 AM6:24 PMPublished[Christopher Newport University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-cnu-family-weekend-2026)Newport News, VAOctober 23 to 257:22 AM6:17 PMPublished[UNC Chapel Hill](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-unc-chapel-hill-family-weekend-2026)Chapel Hill, NCOctober 23 to 257:31 AM6:29 PMPublished[Appalachian State University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-appalachian-state-family-weekend-2026)Boone, NCOctober 22 to 257:41 AM6:39 PMPublished[Emory University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-emory-family-weekend-2026)Atlanta, GAOctober 22 to 257:49 AM6:52 PMPublished[Harvard University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-harvard-family-weekend-2026)Cambridge, MAOctober 22 to 257:08 AM5:48 PMPublished[MIT](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-mit-family-weekend-2026)Cambridge, MAOctober 23 and 247:07 AM5:48 PMPublished[Northeastern University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-northeastern-family-weekend-2026)Boston, MAOctober 23 to 257:07 AM5:48 PMPublished[UMass Lowell](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-umass-lowell-family-weekend-2026)Lowell, MAOctober 23 to 257:09 AM5:48 PMPublished[University of Rhode Island](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-uri-family-weekend-2026)Kingston, RIOctober 23 to 257:08 AM5:51 PMPublished[Trinity College](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-trinity-college-family-weekend-2026)Hartford, CTOctober 23 and 247:13 AM5:55 PMPublished[Fairfield University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-fairfield-family-weekend-2026)Fairfield, CTOctober 23 to 257:14 AM5:58 PMPublished[Columbia University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-columbia-family-weekend-2026)New York, NYOctober 23 and 247:17 AM6:02 PMPublished[NYU](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-nyu-family-weekend-2026)New York, NYOctober 22 to 257:17 AM6:02 PMPublished[Fordham University](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-fordham-family-weekend-2026)Bronx, NYOctober 23 to 257:16 AM6:01 PMPublished[University of Pennsylvania](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-penn-family-weekend-2026)Philadelphia, PAOctober 23 to 257:20 AM6:08 PMPublished[Haverford College](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-haverford-family-weekend-2026)Haverford, PAOctober 23 to 257:21 AM6:08 PMPublished[Middlebury College](https://hengedays.com/articles/buildings-to-photograph-middlebury-family-weekend-2026)Middlebury, VTOctober 30 to November 17:27 AM5:44 PMPublishedBowdoin CollegeBrunswick, MEOctober 30 to November 17:14 AM5:31 PMComingSwarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PAOctober 30 and 317:29 AM6:00 PMComingCollege of CharlestonCharleston, SCNovember 4 to 86:42 AM5:23 PMComingUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GANovember 5 to 86:58 AM5:35 PMComingAmherst CollegeAmherst, MANovember 6 to 86:30 AM4:35 PMComingPrinceton UniversityPrinceton, NJNovember 6 and 76:35 AM4:48 PMfirst-year familiesRollins CollegeWinter Park, FLNovember 6 to 86:41 AM5:35 PMComing

Sunrise and sunset are for the Saturday of each weekend, from the Henge Days engine, at the center of each campus, for a level horizon. The clocks go back on Sunday, November 1, so the November weekends are an hour earlier.

### Schools that have not posted 2026 dates

Williams, Wellesley and Drexel held Family Weekend on October 24 to 26 last year, and Brandeis and Smith on October 31 to November 2. None had posted 2026 dates on October 17. They join the package when their dates appear.

### How the list was made

The schools are the larger and best-known colleges from Maine to Florida whose Family Weekend was still ahead on October 17, 2026, found on the schools' own Family Weekend pages. For each campus, Henge Days computes every named building near a set of centers from OpenStreetMap outlines, keeps the walls where the sun lines up within 6 degrees of the horizon on the weekend's days, and traces the sun's path from each wall to drop the ones a neighboring building stands in front of. Hills and trees are not part of that check, and the times assume a level horizon; each article says so, and names any building that rises toward the sun from in front of a wall.

Any building has a page like the ones in these articles, your student's hall included. Whatever you shoot, post it with #HengeDays:

[Look up a building](https://hengedays.com/) [Open your planner](https://hengedays.com/planner)

### The newsletter

Henge Days also has a newsletter. It covers what each release of the site adds and how to use it, and the buildings the #HengeDays community photographs in head-on light. [Read it on Substack](https://hengedays.substack.com/).

The address goes to Substack, which sends the email and asks you to confirm. Henge Days does not keep it.

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Every date and time on Henge Days is computed from a building outline in OpenStreetMap and the position of the sun. Nobody has checked it on the ground. Hills, trees and other buildings can block a low sun. Treat each date as a plan to confirm before you travel. See https://hengedays.com/terms.md. Henge Days is free to use; sign in only to save days to a planner. Contact: hello@hengedays.com.