Grad Fair 2026 — Cal State LA (one-stop shop for everything Commencement)

When you know the grad and you know your budget, the gap between the right gift and a last-minute scramble is usually just information. Cal State LA's Grad Fair, held March 26 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., was designed to close that gap, pulling cap and gown fittings, class ring orders, graduation announcements, official portrait sessions, and the exclusive $85 Grad Pack into a single six-and-a-half-hour window before nine Commencement ceremonies fill the Shrine Auditorium on May 18, 19, and 20.

For parents covering the academic essentials, the anchor purchase was regalia. A bachelor's degree bundle, the black cap, gown, and tassel with a 2026 charm, costs $63.98 plus tax at the University Bookstore. Master's candidates paid $66.98 for the same kit plus $52.98 for the required hood, which is color-coded to field of study and mandatory at the ceremony. Shopping this at the fair meant trying on sizing in person instead of guessing through an online order and hoping it arrives in time.

The Grad Pack at $85, available exclusively through the Alumni Association, was the most layered $85 in the commencement lineup. It includes a first set of limited-edition alumni swag that cannot be purchased anywhere else, discount savings the university says can reach hundreds of dollars on other commencement purchases, and a donor cord graduates wear visibly at the ceremony. Ten dollars from every pack goes directly to the Cal State LA Fund as the Class of 2026 Gift. Graduates who pre-ordered before the fair also earned two entries in the opportunity drawing instead of one, with prizes that included a class ring, a portrait gift certificate donated by Pro Pics, and a one-night stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Monterey Park.

For out-of-town relatives who won't be at the Shrine Auditorium in May, the announcement-plus-portrait combination was the most thoughtful long-distance bundle. Pro Pics, Cal State LA's official Commencement photography provider, offered portrait sessions at the fair at no cost to the graduate and with no obligation to purchase. Cap, gown, and master's hood were available to borrow for the session, and walk-ins were welcome alongside scheduled appointments. Printed graduation announcements paired with a professional portrait is the most reliable way for a relative in another state to feel present for the moment.

Siblings and friends who wanted something celebratory but lighter on the wallet found their range in commemorative Commencement apparel, custom stoles, and the Cal State LA custom Kukui Nut Lei. These items circulate around the ceremony, show up in photos, and are the kind of thing graduates actually keep, which is a better return on a modest budget than a generic gift card.

The fair is past, but not every window has closed. Grad Packs can still be picked up at the Alumni Office in U-SU 102, open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a photo ID required. Reach the office at (323) 343-2586 or alum@calstatela.edu. Regalia remains available at the University Bookstore and will be sold at a satellite location in the Shrine Auditorium Lobby on May 18, 19, and 20, though with limited merchandise. Portrait sessions with Pro Pics are still open for booking.

For any Class of 2026 family comparing notes on what to secure before May, here are the questions worth asking at the Alumni Office or Bookstore: Does the Grad Pack discount apply to the regalia items I still need to buy? Are Pro Pics portrait appointments still available before the ceremony? Can a class ring order still be placed with Balfour for delivery before May? And does the donor cord in the Grad Pack work at all three ceremony dates?

The Grad Pack is the one item in Cal State LA's commencement ecosystem that cannot be shipped. That single fact gives the Alumni Office window a different kind of urgency than anything else on the list.