Families turned away as Tri-Cities graduation hits ‘record turnout.’ Is it time for tickets?

Eric Rosane
·4 min read

Several families were turned away Friday from the Toyota Center as thousands packed inside to watch loved ones graduate from Columbia Basin College.

Attendees came out in droves and “record turnout” for the 2023 spring commencement, said Assistant Vice President for Communications and External Relations Elizabeth Burtner.

So much so that facility staff were closing gate entrances shortly after the 7 p.m. commencement got underway.

“We’ve never had a turnout like this. We’ve never had this happen before,” Burtner said, adding that they were “disappointed for those family and friends unable to participate.”

Capacity at the Toyota Center — the Tri-Cities’ largest arena and events space — is listed as 7,200 on its website, but Burtner estimates attendance was closer to 6,800 as some sections were stowed.

The CBC administration team is already discussing ways that they can improve upon next year’s ceremony — that might include implementing a limited ticket system or holding two ceremonies.

“If we’re going to continue to have our families turnout, we’re going to want to accommodate that,” Burtner said.

Families who were turned away were able to watch the live stream, which is archived on the college’s YouTube channel.

Big turnout at Edgar Brown

Some graduation ceremonies in the Tri-Cities were especially crowded this year as more students chose to walk and as families ditched the pandemic-era live streams for in-person events.

“Everyone wants to go back to normal after the pandemic,” Burtner told the Tri-City Herald.

Roughly 680 CBC students chose to walk this spring. While most of those were receiving either an associate’s degree or certificate, 92 received a bachelor’s degree

The Pasco, WA college hosted last year’s ceremony at the 6,000-seat Edgar Brown Stadium because of uncertainty around state COVID restrictions. About 615 students chose to walk that year.

“Not a staggering difference between the two, but we definitely had more families attend graduation this year,” Burtner said.

The stands at Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium were crowded earlier this month during the Chiawana High School 2023 spring commencement. For the first time ever this year, the Pasco School District opened up the visitors seating section in the stadium for families to watch.
The stands at Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium were crowded earlier this month during the Chiawana High School 2023 spring commencement. For the first time ever this year, the Pasco School District opened up the visitors seating section in the stadium for families to watch.

Pasco School District, which owns Edgar Brown Stadium, hosted three ceremonies at the former gravel pit site — Pasco High School, Chiawana High School and New Horizons High School online.

Pasco’s Director of Public Affairs Anna Tensmeyer said they opened up the visitors side of the bowl for the first time ever for a commencement as more families and graduates turned out.

They also opened up the east side visitor’s gate to give attendees more parking options.

“Overall, we thought it went really well,” Tensmeyer said, adding that the district is not planning to make additional changes to next year’s commencements.

Attendees at both Chiawana and Pasco High graduations were able to pack both the home and visitor sides of Edgar Brown.

Pasco School District plans to open its third comprehensive high school and a high school career academy in fall 2025.

The opening of those new schools should ease crowding at Edgar Brown graduation ceremonies starting in spring 2026, Tensmeyer said.

Some still live streaming graduations

Richland School District Interim Communications Manager Shawna Dihn said they saw larger-than-average graduation turnout among families of students attending their alternative learning programs.

Although only a little more than one dozen students were graduating, Three Rivers HomeLink had to move its graduation from the multi-purpose room to the Uptown Theatre.

And it was standing-room only at the Delta High School graduation at Three Rivers Convention Center.

The COVID pandemic years made graduation live streams more prevalent among high schools, Dihn said, and families continue to watch and rewatch those.

“Families can keep watching them and celebrating them,” Dihn said. “It’s great to have that opportunity to have families be able to participate if they’re out of town or they’re mobile or they’re not able to celebrate in-person.”

More than 3,000 watched Hanford High School’s live stream graduation, and Richland High School families viewed theirs nearly 500 times.

The Kennewick School District held three graduation ceremonies at Toyota Center — for Kennewick High School, Kamiakin High School and Southridge High School. There were no issues with overattendance at any events, said Robyn Chastain, the district’s Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations.