Lake Area Tech to Celebrate Graduates with Celebration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2026
Lake Area Tech to Celebrate Graduates with Celebration
WATERTOWN – Lake Area Technical College will celebrate its 2026 graduates with a day of fun events, culminating with a free outdoor musical performance on campus.
Grad Fest 2026 will kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 14, with a student-led parade from McKinley Park to the Lake Area Tech Campus. The route follows Kemp Avenue, passing through downtown Watertown, before arriving near the Student Center on Arrow Avenue.
“Grad Fest is really about bringing the entire Watertown community together to celebrate our students,” said Lake Area Tech Vice President Cam Corey. “They’ve put in the work and now it’s time to recognize their accomplishments in a meaningful way.”
The celebration will continue on campus at 4:30 p.m. with an evening of family-friendly festivities and music. Food will be available for the first 500 people and award-winning DJ Jason Yoshino will perform until 9 p.m. along Arrow Avenue.
“Our graduates are walking into high-demand careers and making an immediate impact,” Corey said. “This event is a chance to celebrate everything they’ve accomplished and everything that’s ahead of them.”
Corey invited alumni to return for the celebration and reconnect with faculty, staff and fellow graduates. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for the outdoor festivities.
Graduation events will continue the next day with Lake Area Tech’s 59th Annual Commencement Ceremony, beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, May 15, at the Watertown Arena. With this graduating class, students will join a proud network of nearly 27,000 Lake Area Tech alumni.
For more information about Grad Fest or commencement activities, visit www.lakeareatech.edu or follow Lake Area Tech on social media.
ABOUT LAKE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Founded in 1965, LATC was South Dakota’s first technical college and was named the nation’s best two-year college in 2017. The college offers more than 30 programs in high-demand career fields and has an enrollment of nearly 2,800 students. For more information visit: lakeareatech.edu.
