Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is four days of jump racing every March at Cheltenham Racecourse, under Cleeve Hill on the Cotswold Edge. The 2027 Festival runs from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March, with 28 races over the four days and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the last of them.

What is on each day of the Festival

Each day has its own name and a championship race at its heart.

• Tuesday, Champion Day: the Champion Hurdle.
• Wednesday, Ladies Day: the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
• Thursday, St Patrick's Thursday: the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers' Hurdle.
• Friday, Gold Cup Day: the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Tickets, children and what to wear

Tickets are sold by the Jockey Club, which runs the racecourse, on its Festival tickets page; prices depend on the day and the enclosure, and a Club Enclosure ticket gives access to The Orchard. Children aged 5 and over need a half-price ticket, and younger children go free but still need a ticket. Under-18s must come with a responsible adult over 21, and each adult may bring only a few: the racecourse's ticket page says three, its Festival FAQs two, so check the terms when you book.

There is no official dress code. Most racegoers dress smartly, and in March it pays to dress for the weather.

Getting to the racecourse and parking

The racecourse is on Evesham Road at Prestbury (GL50 4SH for satnav, though on the day the racecourse asks drivers to follow the yellow temporary signs). Gates open at 10.30am on each day, with the first race at 1.30pm and the last at 5.30pm. Stagecoach runs Festival shuttle buses from Cheltenham Spa station and the town centre to the course, which can be booked ahead; the walk from the station takes 30 to 40 minutes. To park on site during the Festival you need a car parking pass bought before the day, as none are sold on the day and cars without one are turned away; minibuses, coaches and limousines need a coach parking pass, also bought in advance. There is also Park and Ride from Arle Court, off junction 11 of the M5.

Every bag is searched at the gates, so allow time; suitcases, holdalls and rucksacks are not let in, and there is limited left luggage outside the enclosures. You cannot bring your own food or drink into the enclosures, and hip flasks are not allowed. The course is cashless apart from betting with the on-course bookmakers. Assistance dogs are welcome at no extra charge, and the racecourse asks owners to contact it when booking.

Where to stay for the Festival

The nearest place to stay we list is the Cleeve Hill Hotel, on the hill above the course. In Winchcombe, about 8km (5 miles) north-east, there are rooms at the Lion Inn and the White Hart Inn. With a morning to spare, the walk across Cleeve Common climbs the highest ground in the Cotswolds. For the rest of the racing year and the other big dates, see when to visit the Cotswolds.

The course's other big days include the November Meeting, with the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and New Year's Day racing.