Meetings and tickets for 2027
The 2027 Flat season opens on Saturday 17 April and finishes on Monday 13 September. The published programme includes the Thirsk Hunt Cup on 1 May, Summer Cup on 31 July, Ladies’ Day on 4 September and a Summer Family Day on 23 July.
The racecourse has published its 2027 fixture dates. Ticket sales are expected to open in December 2026; current event pages show gates-open times but not the first- and last-race schedule. See the racecourse’s fixture list.
Pre-booked prices are valid until 48 hours before each meeting. A transferable Premier Season Ticket for all 16 fixtures cost £180 in 2026.
Bringing children
One of the five family days, with free entertainment.
Big-race day
The Thirsk Hunt Cup in May.
Dressing up
Ladies Day in September.
A regular
The £180 Premier Season Ticket, which anyone can use.
Which enclosure should you choose?
Thirsk has two public enclosures and a separately ticketed Park & View area within the Picnic Enclosure.
Premium
Premier Enclosure
All public areas, prime grandstand viewing by the winning post, exclusive bars and dining. A Premier dress code applies.
Main
Grandstand, Paddock & Picnic
Grandstand viewing, Parade Ring and Winner’s Enclosure access, bars, betting, live music and a free adventure playground. No dress code.
Picnic by car
Park & View
A separate ticket puts one vehicle with up to four adults into a specified trackside area of the Picnic Enclosure for a car-boot picnic.
Compare every enclosure side by side: prices, views, bars and food, dress codes and entrances.
Dress code at Thirsk Racecourse
Thirsk’s Premier code applies to restaurants and private boxes as well as general Premier admission. Men need a collared shirt or a collared jacket over a T-shirt, with smart trousers, unripped jeans or tailored shorts and smart shoes or clean smart trainers. Jackets and ties are otherwise optional. Smart occasion wear is encouraged for women. Sportswear, fancy dress and torn clothing are excluded in Premier. Grandstand, Paddock and Picnic have no dress code.
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 Thirsk
Thirsk station is at the end of the racecourse’s six-furlong chute.
By train
A free shuttle runs from the station from two hours before the first race, and back after the last race from the coach park.
By bus
Regular local buses.
By car
All parking is free, but cars can’t be left overnight.
Coming by train?
Book trains to Thirsk.
Hotels near Thirsk Racecourse
For the shortest trip to Thirsk Racecourse, stay in the market town or nearby Sowerby. Farm inns and rural retreats in the surrounding villages put the North York Moors within reach, though they are easier with a car.
Thirsk and Sowerby
A cluster of town-centre inns and a hotel just south of the centre.
- The Golden Fleece Hotel, Hotel on Thirsk Market Place, listed by Thirsk Tourist Information.
- The Three Tuns, Pub and hotel at 54 Market Place; the visitor directory describes this listed building as dating from 1698 and having 13 bedrooms.
- Premier Inn Thirsk, At Sowerby Gateway, about 1.5 miles from Thirsk Market Place; the visitor listing notes free Wi-Fi and parking.
Villages and the Moors
Country inns and rural accommodation beyond the town centre.
- West Acre Lodge, Rural retreat at Boltby on the edge of the North York Moors.
- The Carpenters Arms, Country inn and restaurant at Felixkirk, around four miles from Thirsk.
Find a hotel
Compare hotels near Thirsk.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Evenings in Thirsk
Thirsk’s evening options are in the town, rather than at the racecourse. The Market Place and Westgate area offer a small cinema, independent restaurants and traditional pubs within a compact centre.
- A film in town
The Ritz Cinema
The Ritz on Westgate has screened films since it opened in 1912. A volunteer team has run it since 1995, bringing recent releases to Thirsk; its programme lists showtimes and lets you book online or buy at the door.
- Supper
Restaurants around the Market Place
Thirsk Tourist Information lists several independent choices in the centre, including Racha Thai Bistro on Bakers Alley, Manor Italia on Millgate and Black Cardamom on Long Street. They make an easy meal before or after a film.
- A local pub
The Three Tuns and Market Place
The Three Tuns is a pub and hotel on the cobbled Market Place; the Golden Fleece is another town-centre hotel and restaurant. Both are listed by the local visitor information service among Thirsk’s places to eat and stay.
Cinema, food and accommodation listings checked 3 October 2026.
Things to do while you are here
Thirsk’s market-town centre is small enough to explore on foot, with a local history museum and the original home and surgery of James Herriot. These attractions are in town and can be combined with the surrounding countryside.
World of James Herriot
At 23 Kirkgate, this attraction occupies the original 1940s home and veterinary surgery of Alf Wight, the real James Herriot. The restored consulting rooms and dispensary, recreated television sets, more than 4,000 memorabilia items and interactive children’s gallery make it a substantial visit; allow roughly 90 minutes to two hours.
Thirsk Museum
The volunteer-run museum at 14–16 Kirkgate is housed in the 18th-century birthplace of Thomas Lord, founder of Lord’s Cricket Ground. Eight period rooms tell stories from local life; the visitor listing describes free entry with donations welcome and seasonal opening from before Easter to early November.
Historic Experiences Thirsk
A guided town walk starts by the clock in Market Place and introduces Thirsk and neighbouring Sowerby. It is a way to connect the cobbled centre, local landmarks and the town’s market-town history without needing a car.
Monk Park Farm
This family farm attraction is in Bagby, just outside Thirsk. The local visitor directory lists farm activities there, making it a countryside option to pair with a family stay in the area.
On the day
Practical details for a visit to Thirsk Racecourse. The exact race schedule is fixture-specific; the currently published 2027 pages have not yet filled in first- and last-race times.
Free shuttle from the station
Thirsk station is a 15-minute walk from the course. On racedays a free shuttle links the station and racecourse from two hours before the first race, then resumes after the last race from the coach park. Local bus 70 also serves Northallerton, Thirsk Racecourse and Ripon.
Parking
Public car parks close to the course are free and signposted. Parking inside the course is limited to visitors with a Park and View ticket, and vehicles cannot be left overnight.
Children and activities
Accompanied children under 18 go free and need no ticket. The 2027 fixture list names a Summer Family Day on 23 July; the racecourse says that its permanent adventure playground and selected family-day activities are free for children.
Picnics and the enclosure
The Grandstand, Paddock and Picnic Enclosure has a designated picnic area, seating, the Parade Ring, betting facilities and a permanent adventure playground. The racecourse FAQ permits limited alcohol with a picnic: up to four cans of beer or cider, or one bottle of wine or fizz per person; spirits are not allowed.
Families and groups
Thirsk makes accompanied child entry straightforward, and its published calendar includes a dedicated family raceday.
Under-18s and the 2027 family day
Accompanied children under 18 are admitted free, with no ticket required. The 2027 programme lists a Summer Family Day on Friday 23 July. For 2026, the racecourse described five dedicated family days with free children’s activities in the Grandstand, Paddock and Picnic Enclosure; that past-season count should not be read as a 2027 promise.
Help on the day and afterwards
In an emergency
Call 999 and give the address, Thirsk Racecourse, Thirsk. Then tell a member of staff.
Accessibility
Accessible parking about 50–100 metres from the entrances, viewing platforms at the parade ring and trackside, accessible toilets and a free ticket for a personal assistant.
After your visit
Official results are on the BHA results page.
A little history
- 1855Thirsk Racecourse says racing began on the present course on 15 March, at a two-day meeting on the Thirsk Hall estate offered by the Bell family. The site remains owned by the family.
- 1859The Thirsk Hunt Cup was first run. The racecourse lists the inaugural winner as Egg Sauce, in a hurdle over one and a half miles; the modern Hunt Cup is a one-mile Flat race.
- 1940During the Second World War, the St Leger was transferred from Doncaster and run at Thirsk; the racecourse records Stardust as the winner.
More Thirsk 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 Thirsk Racecourse. Some links may earn us a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you; this never decides what we recommend.