Virginia Tech will observe the 2026 Day of Remembrance to honor the students and faculty members who lost their lives on April 16, 2007.
On Thursday, April 16, the lighting of the ceremonial candle will be held at 12:01 a.m. at the April 16 Memorial, located in front of Burruss Hall on Drillfield Drive. The candle will be lit by representatives of the student body, and the names of the 32 Hokies lost on April 16, 2007, will be read. Members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets will stand in watch. The candle will remain lit for 24 hours.
At 9:43 a.m., a brief wreath-laying ceremony and moment of silence will be held at the April 16 Memorial. Student members of the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad will carry wreaths to the memorial, which will then be placed by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands and Laura Sands.
At 11:27 p.m., members of the Corps of Cadets will stand in watch at the April 16 Memorial for 32 minutes.
At 11:59 p.m., the ceremonial candle will be extinguished, and the light will be carried back into Burruss Hall, representing the university’s commitment to never forget.
On Saturday, April 18, the 3.2-Mile Run in Remembrance, an annual event that attracts thousands of walkers and runners to the Blacksburg campus, will begin, rain or shine, at 9 a.m. with a moment of silence.
The run’s 3.2-mile course will begin in front of War Memorial Hall on Drillfield Drive and pass by landmarks such the Grove, Lane Stadium, and the Virginia Tech Pylons, ending at the April 16 Memorial. Advance registration is encouraged. Visit the Department of Recreational Sports website for event information.
The run isn’t just a Blacksburg event. Virtual participation opportunities and in-person activities sponsored by alumni chapters are available as well. Virtual participants are encouraged to move in a way that is meaningful to them and to share photos using the hashtag #VT32Run on social media.
A Remembrance Service to honor those who died will be held at the War Memorial Chapel on April 18 at 1:30 p.m.
Several other university events, including Spring Family Weekend, and the football spring game will be held over the April 17-19 weekend.
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