Meetings and tickets for 2027
Ripon’s official 2027 fixture poster lists 16 dates between 15 April and 25 September, with afternoon and evening meetings, Family Days, Ladies’ Day on 17 June, the Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival on 17 July and the Great St Wilfrid on 14 August. The racecourse’s separate Fixtures & Times page still describes the 2026 season, so this guide uses the poster for dates and does not guess 2027 gates or race times.
The official poster lists 16 fixtures from 15 April to 25 September 2027. See the racecourse’s fixture list.
2027 fixture dates are published in the official poster; 2027 gates-open, first-race and last-race times are not on that poster. The online Fixtures & Times page checked on 3 October 2026 is still headed for the 2026 season.
Big-race day
The William Hill Great St Wilfrid, a valuable sprint, in mid-August.
Bringing children
One of the family fun days, with under-18s free.
Dressing up
Ladies Day in June.
After work
A summer evening meeting.
Which enclosure should you choose?
Ripon has three public enclosures: Club Stand, Paddock and Course. The higher Club ticket includes the Paddock and Course areas; the Paddock ticket includes the Course. Car To Course is a separate vehicle ticket for entering the Course Enclosure with up to four adults.
Premium
Club Stand
Covered grandstand seating, the Winning Post and views across the Parade Ring; Club tickets include access to the Paddock and Course Enclosures.
Best all-rounder
Paddock Enclosure
Close to the Parade Ring, main betting ring, bars and food outlets, with access to the Course Enclosure too.
Relaxed
Course Enclosure
Informal grassed viewing by the finish, food and bar outlets, children’s play park and the option to bring a picnic.
Bring the car
Car To Course
A vehicle ticket for the Course Enclosure, including admission for up to four adults per car.
Compare every enclosure side by side: prices, views, bars and food, dress codes and entrances.
Dress code at Ripon Racecourse
Ripon requires smart clothing in Club but not a suit or tie. Smart jeans, tailored shorts and smart trainers are allowed; T-shirts, sportswear, football shirts and sports trainers are excluded. Paddock and Course have no formal code, but bare chests and offensive clothing are not allowed. Check the forecast before choosing your layers and footwear, and think about the time you will spend outdoors during the meeting. If you have booked a specific dining or hospitality package, consult its instructions or ask Ripon for clarification before travelling. This keeps your outfit choice aligned with the area you have actually booked.
Official clothing advice — checked 14 October 2026.
What will the trip cost?
A quick estimate for your group. Where we have confirmed a ticket price it’s filled in; otherwise add the price from the racecourse’s booking page. Change any figure to match your plans.
Getting to Ripon
Ripon has no railway station, but there are free buses on racedays and a discount for green travel.
By bus
Arrive by the 36 bus and you get reduced-price entry. A free shuttle runs from Ripon city centre to the course on racedays.
By bike
Cyclists get cheaper entry too.
By car
Parking is free at every raceday.
Parking at Ripon Racecourse
Ripon’s main car park is free and serves Club and Paddock visitors; Course admission can be reached on foot from there. Driving directly into the centre is a separate paid Cars on Course option that includes adult admission. Accessible spaces near the Club and Paddock entrances are limited, so display your Blue Badge for the stewards. A mobility buggy helps with travel from the coach park and rear parking area; consult the accessibility page if this affects your plans.
Official parking advice — checked 14 October 2026.
Coming by train?
Book trains to Harrogate or Leeds, then take the 36 bus.
Hotels near Ripon Racecourse
Ripon has independent city-centre inns and guest houses, self-catering cottages, caravan pitches and countryside hotels. The city is small enough to make the Market Place and cathedral useful reference points; the racecourse is on Boroughbridge Road, beyond the centre. Check the location against your transport plan when choosing a room: a listing in the wider Ripon area can be several miles from the Market Place.
In and close to the city
These options put you among Ripon’s historic streets, cathedral, independent food businesses and evening venues.
- The Ripon Inn, a refurbished inn in the city, with six acres of gardens, accommodation, dining and drinks
- Fountains Guest House, a city guest house within walking distance of the Market Place and cathedral
- The Unicorn Hotel, a historic Market Place East inn with 32 en-suite rooms
Countryside and self-catering
For a quieter base or more room, Visit Ripon’s accommodation directory includes hotels, cottages and caravan accommodation around the city.
- Grantley Hall, a countryside hotel with 47 bedrooms, a spa, bars and restaurants
- Lockside Caravan Park, a caravan and lodge option listed in the Ripon area
Find a hotel
Compare hotels in Ripon and Harrogate.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Evenings in Ripon
Ripon’s evening is centred on its historic Market Place, riverside paths and small independent venues. The nightly civic ritual is a distinctive plan after dinner; theatre, comedy and live music offer indoor alternatives.
- 9pm nightly
Hear the Ripon Hornblower
Every night, the horn is blown at the four corners of the Market Place Obelisk to “set the watch”. Ripon City Council traces the ceremony to the city’s medieval Wakeman; the modern office of Wakeman became that of Mayor in 1604. The short ceremony is free to watch in the square.
- Show nights
Ripon Arts Hub
The city-centre Arts Hub hosts live events through the year. Ripon Musical Theatre and Youth Theatre stage regular productions, with partners including Hilarity Bites, Ripon Theatre Festival, Ripon Live Music and the charity pantomime group. Look at the venue’s current programme for a performance on your dates.
- Pub and riverside
Food, real ale and a walk by the Skell
The Water Rat is a riverside pub serving traditional home-cooked meals and real ales. Visit Ripon’s city-centre and River Skell trail passes the pub, then continues through the riverside wildlife corridor towards the cathedral. The Market Place and surrounding streets also have independent restaurants and pubs.
Things to do while you are here
The compact city centre combines cathedral history and museums; beyond it, the Ure valley and North Yorkshire countryside make an easy extension to a racing trip. Check attraction opening seasons and admission on the venue’s own page when fixing a date, as these differ from the racecourse calendar.
Ripon Cathedral
The cathedral traces its story to St Wilfrid’s church, consecrated in 672. Its Anglo-Saxon crypt survives beneath the later building; the cathedral is close to the Market Place and open to visitors throughout the year.
Ripon Museums
The Workhouse, Courthouse and Prison & Police museums tell different parts of the city’s social and civic history. Visit Ripon says the three central museums are about five minutes’ walk apart; start at the Workhouse on Allhallowgate if you plan to visit them all.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal
A short drive from Ripon, this UNESCO World Heritage Site pairs the remains of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey with the designed water garden at Studley Royal.
Newby Hall and Gardens
This Grade I listed house near Ripon has historic interiors and extensive gardens; the estate also lists an adventure playground, boating lake and miniature railway.
On the day
Ripon’s official FAQs give practical arrival and enclosure guidance. Some arrangements are fixture-dependent; this guide separates the published general provision from the 2027 race schedule, which is not yet published.
Arrival and the town shuttle
The racecourse FAQ says gates typically open about two hours before the first race. A free shuttle departs from the coach park opposite Ripon Bus Station for the 60 minutes before the first race; return buses start 30 minutes before the last race and run for about an hour. The town shuttle is useful if you park in Ripon, but the precise 2027 departure schedule depends on the fixture times.
Parking and driving on course
The main car park is free and serves the Club and Paddock entrances. Cars-on-course parking is a separate paid option from £22 per car for up to four adults, according to the FAQ checked 3 October 2026. Accessible bays are limited. The city shuttle provides another way to avoid driving to the venue.
Choose your enclosure
Paddock admission includes the Parade Ring and track views; the Club badge also gives access to the Paddock and Course areas. In the Course Enclosure, picnics and up to four cans per person are allowed, but glass and barbecues are not. In the Paddock, picnics are allowed but alcohol is not; neither picnics nor barbecues are allowed in the Club.
Dress, shelter and betting
The Paddock and Club are flat mixes of grass and hard surfaces; the Course Enclosure is open grass with limited cover, so suitable footwear matters in wet weather. Betting is optional. If you choose to bet, you must be at least 18; set a limit and do not chase losses.
Families and groups
Children are welcome throughout Ripon’s season, not only on named Family Days.
Free admission and places to play
Under-18s enter free at every fixture when accompanied by an adult. The racecourse lists a permanent climbing frame in the Paddock and a play park in the Course Enclosure. Its Family Days can add activities such as Punch and Judy, barrel train rides, bouncy castles, crafts and face painting; the published page notes that the programme varies by meeting. Baby-changing facilities are available in each enclosure, and picnics are permitted in the Paddock and Course areas.
Help on the day and afterwards
In an emergency
Call 999 and give the address, Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, HG4 1UG. Then tell a member of staff.
Racecourse office
Call 01765 530530 or email info@ripon-races.co.uk.
After your visit
Official results are on the BHA results page.
A little history
- 1664Historical records and maps show racing taking place on Borrage Green, one of several earlier sites around Ripon.
- 1900Ripon Racecourse moved to Boroughbridge Road; the first meeting at the current site was held on 6 August.
More Ripon guides
Prices, dates and travel details were checked on 3 October 2026. The racecourse can change prices, times and arrangements, so check your booking page before you pay. This is an independent guide, not connected to Ripon Racecourse or Ripon Races. Some links may earn us a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you; this never decides what we recommend.