Tennis stadium at night seen from above, with spectators filling the stands around a blue hard court

The Journal

US Open 2026: How to Attend, What It Costs, and How Alchemy Customers Could Win Semifinals Tickets

The short version: the 2026 US Open runs August 23 through September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Fan Week (August 23 to 29) is free to attend, main-draw play begins Sunday, August 30, and the Women's Singles Semifinals land Thursday night, September 10. The 7 train to Mets-Willets Point gets you to the gates. The Alchemy also ran a raffle for two tickets to those Women's Semifinals: from July 1 through September 4, every $50 spent before tax on Curaleaf family brands was one automatic entry. That raffle is now closed. Details below.

7 min read1,595 wordsBy The Alchemy Editors
In this article
  1. 01When is the US Open in 2026?
  2. 02Women's Semifinals tickets: The Alchemy x Curaleaf raffle (clo…
  3. 03How US Open tickets work in 2026
  4. 04Fan Week is free. Here is how to do it
  5. 05Getting to Flushing Meadows
  6. 06Tips for a 10 out of 10 day at the Open
  7. 07Cannabis and the US Open: know before you go
  8. 08Watching without tickets
  9. 09Frequently asked questions
  10. 10Game, set, match
AuthorThe Alchemy Editorial Team
UpdatedAug 2026
Read time7 min
01

When is the US Open in 2026?

The 2026 US Open runs Sunday, August 23 through Sunday, September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens.

DatesWhat happens
Aug 23 to 29Fan Week: free admission, qualifying matches, open practices
Sun, Aug 30Main draw begins
Thu, Sep 10Women's Singles Semifinals, the Alchemy raffle prize
Fri, Sep 11Men's Singles Semifinals
Sat, Sep 12Women's Singles Final
Sun, Sep 13Men's Singles Final
02

Women's Semifinals tickets: The Alchemy x Curaleaf raffle (closed)

Raffle banner: enter to win two US Open Women's Singles Semi-Finals tickets; $50 on Select, Anthem or Grassroots is one entry

The raffle ran at both stores from July 1 through September 4, 2026, and entries are now closed.

How it worked:

  • Qualifying purchases were any Curaleaf family brand at The Alchemy: Select, Anthem, Grassroots, and Grassroots: Dark Heart Series.
  • Every $50 spent before tax on those brands equaled one raffle entry, with no cap.
  • The raffle ran July 1 through September 4, 2026. Entries are closed.
  • It was valid at both stores, The Alchemy Chelsea and The Alchemy Flatiron.
  • The prize was two tickets to the US Open Women's Singles Semifinals on Thursday, September 10, the night the tournament's biggest stories collide under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Entries accrued automatically on qualifying purchases. Ask any budtender what is in stock, or browse the live menu and order ahead for pickup.

The raffle was open to adults 21 or older with a valid photo ID. Entries accrued automatically on qualifying pre-tax purchases from July 1 through September 4, 2026.

03

How US Open tickets work in 2026

Official tickets are sold through Ticketmaster, the US Open's official ticketing partner. For 2026, listed prices start around $43 for Arthur Ashe Stadium sessions and $65 for a Grounds Pass, and they climb steeply for the second week and the finals.

The three main ticket types, in plain English:

Grounds Pass. The best value in tennis. It gets you into every court except reserved Arthur Ashe seating: Louis Armstrong Stadium on a first-come basis, the Grandstand, and all the outer courts, where you can stand close enough to hear the strings. Day-session Grounds Pass holders should arrive before 6 PM, when the evening session takes over.

Arthur Ashe reserved seats. The marquee stadium: the night matches, the roof, the roars. Semifinals and finals happen here, and this is what the Alchemy raffle wins you.

Louis Armstrong reserved. The middle path: a guaranteed seat in the second-biggest stadium, usually cheaper than Ashe.

An insider move: first-week day sessions are the connoisseur's choice. You can watch top seeds up close on intimate courts for the price of one Ashe nosebleed.

04

Fan Week is free. Here is how to do it

From August 23 to 29, grounds admission is completely free. You get qualifying matches, where future stars grind for a main-draw spot, plus open practice sessions where you might stand ten feet from the world number one, Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, and full access to the food village. Every fan 18 or older needs the free Fan Access Pass from the official US Open app to enter.

There is also Open for All Day on Thursday, September 10, with free grounds admission during the second week. It falls on the same day as the Women's Semifinals, so even without a stadium ticket you can soak in the grounds atmosphere on the tournament's biggest Thursday.

05

Getting to Flushing Meadows

The 7 train is the answer. Catch it at Grand Central, Times Square, or Hudson Yards, ride to Mets-Willets Point, and walk about ten minutes on the boardwalk to the gates. From Chelsea or Flatiron, plan on roughly 45 minutes door to gate. The LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison also stops at Mets-Willets Point and is often faster from Manhattan on match nights.

Driving is not the move. Parking is scarce, and the Grand Central Parkway crawls on session nights.

06

Tips for a 10 out of 10 day at the Open

Go early, stay late. Gates open before play starts, and the morning practice courts are the best free show in tennis.

The food is a real thing. The Open's food village is legitimately good, the Honey Deuce cocktail is the tournament's icon, and lines peak between sessions.

Night matches at Ashe are a different sport. The US Open invented night tennis in 1975, and September nights under the lights are the loudest atmosphere in the game.

Facts to drop between points. The tournament has been played in Queens since 1978. Arthur Ashe Stadium is the largest tennis stadium in the world at about 23,700 seats. The Open was the first Grand Slam to pay men and women equally, back in 1973.

Bring: sunscreen, a hat, an empty water bottle for the refill stations inside, and a phone charger. Packing light and clear-bag friendly saves you time at security.

07

Cannabis and the US Open: know before you go

You are reading a dispensary's guide, so let us be straight about the rules.

You cannot consume cannabis at the tennis center or in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The USTA grounds are smoke-free, and the surrounding park is a New York City park, where smoking or vaping cannabis is prohibited. Do not be the person lighting up on the boardwalk.

The compliant playbook:

  • Before you go. If your evening includes cannabis, enjoy it at home or in a legal outdoor spot before heading to Queens. New York permits adults 21 and older to consume in many of the places where tobacco smoking is allowed, but not everywhere, and not in parks, vehicles, or on federal land. Our responsible use guide covers the rules in more detail.
  • Low dose is the move for a long day. A 2.5 to 5 mg gummy or a THC seltzer before the ride out keeps things light through a five-set epic. Start low. Edibles can take 45 to 90 minutes to arrive.
  • After the match. The 7 train drops you back in Manhattan, and a pre-roll on your own balcony beats any stadium beer line.

Skipping Queens entirely? Every session airs on ESPN, and a couch, a THC beverage, and a five-setter that ends at 1 AM is a very New York way to do the Open.

08

Watching without tickets

No ticket, no problem. Bars across the city show every session, and the second week brings watch parties to rooftops and beer gardens. Grab friends, order ahead from The Alchemy for pickup or same-day delivery, and settle in for the night session. Consume at home or wherever tobacco smoking is legal, not inside bars.

09

Frequently asked questions

When does the 2026 US Open start?

Fan Week begins Sunday, August 23, 2026 with free admission. Main-draw play runs Sunday, August 30 through Sunday, September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.

How much are US Open 2026 tickets?

Official prices start around $43 for Arthur Ashe Stadium sessions and $65 for a Grounds Pass through Ticketmaster, the tournament's official partner, and rise for night sessions, the second week, and the finals.

How do I win US Open Women's Semifinals tickets from The Alchemy?

The raffle closed on September 4, 2026. It ran from July 1 at The Alchemy Chelsea and Flatiron: every $50 spent before tax on Curaleaf family brands, meaning Select, Anthem, Grassroots, and Grassroots: Dark Heart Series, earned one raffle entry, with no cap. The prize was two tickets to the Women's Singles Semifinals on Thursday, September 10. Adults 21 and older only.

Is any part of the US Open free?

Yes. All of Fan Week, August 23 to 29, is free with the Fan Access Pass from the official US Open app, and Open for All Day on Thursday, September 10 offers free grounds admission during the second week.

What is the best way to get to the US Open from Manhattan?

Take the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point and walk about ten minutes to the gates. The LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison also stops at Mets-Willets Point and is often faster on busy nights.

Can you smoke weed at the US Open?

No. The tennis center is smoke-free, and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is a New York City park, where cannabis consumption is prohibited. Adults 21 and older should consume beforehand at home or anywhere tobacco smoking is allowed.

When are the US Open Women's Semifinals in 2026?

Thursday, September 10, 2026, in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Those were the tickets in The Alchemy's Curaleaf raffle, which closed on September 4.

10

Game, set, match

Pick your session, take the 7, and if cannabis is part of your plan, keep it legal, low dose, and before you go. To stock up, browse the live menu for pickup or same-day delivery, or stop into Chelsea or Flatiron. Adults 21 and over only, with a valid photo ID.

Please enjoy responsibly. Cannabis products are for adults 21 and older. Do not drive or operate machinery under the influence. Keep out of reach of children and pets. This article is for general information and is not legal advice. The Curaleaf raffle closed on September 4, 2026.

Sources

The Alchemy Editors

Field notes from the counter at Chelsea + Flatiron.

Written by our procurement and budtender team. Every claim verified against NYS OCM regulations and current shelf inventory. Updated as the menu rotates.

Back to Journal

Want more of The Alchemy in your Google results?

Pick The Alchemy NYC as a preferred source and our Journal posts are more likely to appear in your Top Stories, and our links can carry a Preferred badge in AI Overviews and AI Mode.

Add as preferred source

Continue reading