Venue Information
Commencement is held at the Salinas Sports Complex located at 1034 N. Main Street, Salinas, California. It is bound on the west by N. Main Street, the north by E. Laurel, by Maryal Drive on the east and E. Bernal on the south.
The ceremony site is an open air venue. Commencement is held outdoors, rain or shine, with no shade — attendees should be prepared both for heat and inclement weather. Seating is on a first-come, first serve basis.
Topic Details General Seating Seating is first come, first serve. Saving Seats Saving seats is discouraged and all saved seats not occupied by 10 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony will need to be released. Grandstand Access General Admission seating is available in the West, North and South Grandstands. Arena Floor Access Admission to the Main Arena Floor requires a Distinguished Guest ticket or an ADA ticket. All guests admitted to the Main Arena Floor must be wristbanded. No re-admittance is permitted without a wristband. - Guests requiring accommodations should work with their graduate to obtain ADA tickets.
- Guests unable to reach their graduate and needing accommodations should contact commencement@csumb.edu
- ADA seating sections are located within the stands as well as on the floor of the Rodeo Arena.
- ADA seating sections are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- ONLY one caregiver per ADA ticket holder is permitted. All other party members must sit in General Admission seating.
- All guests over the age of two years old must have a ticket.
Family, friends and supporters are advised to make arrangements to meet their graduate at a location outside the Main Arena Floor after the ceremony is concluded and after all students, faculty and the platform party have left the seating area.
ADA information
ADA parking
ADA parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis adjacent to Rodeo Arena in the Sherwoood Hall Parking Lot. A DMV-issued ADA placard is required for entrance into those parking lots.
ADA seating
ADA seating is available within the stands and floor of the Rodeo Arena. No additional ticket beyond a guest ticket is required. General Admission guest tickets may be exchanged for ADA Tickets on a 1:1 basis. ADA and companion seating is available on a first come, first serve basis.
ADA paths of travel
Access to the venues are ADA grade compliant. Distances from entrances to ADA seating and other locations are outlined below. Limited cart service for those with ADA or mobility issues is available on a first come, first serve basis from the ADA parking lots to the entrance gates of both facilities. No cart service is available within the facility beyond the front gate.
Distances:
Feet
From
To
371
Front Gates
ADA elevator in West Grandstands
469
Front Gates
ADA Seats in West Grandstands
554
Front Gates
ADA Section on Arena Floor
97
Front Gates
Alternate Viewing
319
Front Gates
Commencement Festival Grass
452
Front Gates
ADA Overflow Parking in M1
108
Front Gates
ADA Parking in front of Guest Services (Lot L)
Service animals
Service animals will be admitted as provided by law. Emotional support animals are not required to be admitted by law and will NOT be admitted. No animal may be left unattended in a vehicle for longer than 15 minutes.
All attendees are required to walk through metal detectors or be wanded, if unable to use the walk through metal detector.
All bags, jackets and blankets will be reviewed upon entry.
No outside food and beverages permitted.
Bag Type Requirement Clear Bags All bags, purses and backpacks brought into the venue must be clear and be under 12” by 6”x12”. Logo Area The logo’d area of any clear bag cannot exceed 4.5” x 3.4”. Non-Clear Bags Any non-clear bags are limited and not to exceed 4.5”x8.5”. In support of CSUMB’s commitment to sustainability, three waste sorting bins will be provided for use by attendees.
No animals may be left in any vehicle parked on property for longer than 15 minutes.
For your safety and comfort, as well as those around you, the following items are not allowed in the venue.
Any items deemed to be inappropriate, offensive or potentially hazardous by security, staff or facility management may be confiscated.-
NO Aerosol cans — e.g., sunblock, pepper spray, mace, hairspray, silly string, etc
-
NO Alcohol, smoking, and tobacco products
-
NO Animals — except approved certified service dogs (emotional support animals are not permitted).
-
NO artificial noisemakers
-
NO balloons, glitter, rice, streamers and confetti
-
NO Banners and Signs over 22” x 28”
-
NO Cans or Glass Bottles & Personal Coolers
-
NO Confetti, poppers or streamers
-
NO Hard or soft-sided coolers of any kind
-
NO Illegal substances, drugs or chemicals of any kind
-
NO Laser pointers
-
NO Metal, plastic or glass water bottles or containers of any kind
-
NO Noisemakers, plastic horns, air horns, whistles or musical instruments of any kind
-
NO Outside food and drinks
-
NO Poles and sticks/staffs including but not limited to metal, plastic or wood
-
NO Professional camera equipment, including but not limited to tripods, battery packs and large commercial video cameras
-
NO Remote-controlled aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems or drones
-
NO Skates, skateboards, scooters, hoverboards or bicycles
-
NO Strollers or car seats
-
NO Umbrellas, beach balls, frisbees, sports equipment and toys
-
NO Video Cameras, Including Gopro type video Cameras
-
NO Weapons or incendiary devices of any kind.
-
There is parking available on and off-site.
Please use this link to view on-site parking options.
Please use this link to view off-site parking.
Except as noted on the maps, no permits are necessary.
Want to be more sustainable? Want to skip the stress of driving in Commencement traffic? No transportation?
Park and ride the shuttle to Commencement. This shuttle service is free and available for graduates, guests, staff, and faculty. View the shuttle schedule here.
Find out where all the fun is happening. Check out the Commencement Site Map below:
Event Map
Directions to 2025 Commencement locations: