Foxfield Races 2027: spring race date, tickets, parking and rules

Last checked 2026-10-19. Facts come from Foxfield Racing’s own site, linked below. This page is updated for each spring and fall race day at the same address.

The next Foxfield Races are the spring steeplechase on Saturday, April 24, 2027. Foxfield has run steeplechase races near Charlottesville since 1978, and its spring race day draws everyone from college students in the Orange section to families in the Green and tailgaters along the rail. Races run rain or shine.

Know before you go

• When: Sat. April 24, 2027 (spring races)
• Where: 2215 Foxfield Track, Charlottesville
• Tickets: on sale February 2027, online only, at foxfieldraces.org/tickets
• Kids: 12 and under free
• Race office: 434-293-9501, information@foxfieldraces.com

When the races are

Foxfield holds two race days a year:

• Spring Races: Saturday, April 24, 2027. The spring philanthropic partner is Camp Holiday Trails, a Charlottesville nonprofit that runs camps for children with medical needs.
• Fall Races: the 2026 fall races were Sunday, Oct. 4, with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville as the partner, according to the fall races page. The 2027 fall date has not been posted.

Thunder and lightning can hold up a race, but racing resumes once the storm passes and the footing is safe for the horses. Tune to 103.9 FM for race-day updates.

Tickets and parking

All tickets go on sale in February 2027 and are emailed to you; the ticket page lists the options. Foxfield has not published 2027 prices yet. Tickets are nonrefundable.

• General admission: needed by everyone over 12, whatever way you arrive.
• General admission parking pass: parking in the field west of the track. No food or alcohol can be carried in from this lot, everyone goes through a security search, there is no tailgating in the lot and no re-entry. Print the pass and show it on your dashboard.
• Reserved rail or second-row tailgating space: a numbered 10-by-20-foot space in a colored section, with four general admission tickets included. The hangtag comes by mail. Reserved spaces sell until two weeks before race day or until they run out.
• First come, first park infield space: a spot in the green or orange section fields, not a set space, with four general admission tickets included.
• Chalets and South Hill tents: hospitality tents for 40 to 80 guests, booked through the race office.

You can buy more general admission tickets and general admission parking right up to race day. If your tickets or hangtag do not arrive, call 800-478-3416 or email ticketing@foxfieldraces.com before race day: anyone who reaches the gate without them is turned away.

What to bring and what to leave home

From Foxfield’s race-day rules and its FAQ:

• Alcohol: only for people 21 and older. Each reserved space may bring two 750 ml bottles of liquor, three bottles of wine and three six-packs of beer, seltzer or ready-to-drink cocktails, with up to 15 people per space. No alcohol may be carried in from the general admission lot. Avoid glass.
• Food: general admission guests may bring food, subject to search. Food trucks and vendors sell food and drink in the Orange Park at the spring races. No outside food or drink goes in or out of the Orange student section.
• Tents: pop-up tents are allowed in your parking space if staked behind the line, or rent a 10-by-10 tent from Foxfield for $200 at least seven days ahead.
• Not allowed: dogs (registered service dogs by arrangement), drones and weapons. Do not touch or approach the horses.
• Dress: anything from “Sunday Best to Country Casual,” Foxfield says, and hats are a favorite. Wear shoes or boots you can stand in a field in all day.

Sections of the course

• Green: general admission, popular with families.
• Orange (New Orange Entertainment Park): spring races only; open to all general admission ticket holders, with rail viewing, rentable cabana tents and beer and seltzer sales for those 21 and older.
• Blue: the outside rail; a quieter spot and the easiest for accessible parking requests.
• Pink: sponsors and general admission, with a view of the start and finish.
• Purple: sponsors.

Getting home

Foxfield encourages anyone who has been drinking to leave their car and find a safe ride home. Cars can stay overnight; the gates reopen at 9 a.m. the next day for pickup, and cars left more than 48 hours are towed.

For more spring events, see things to do in Charlottesville.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Foxfield Races in 2027?

The spring races are Saturday, April 24, 2027. The most recent fall races were Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.

When do Foxfield spring race tickets go on sale?

In February 2027. General admission tickets, parking passes and tailgating spaces are all sold online as electronic tickets; Foxfield no longer sells tickets in stores.

Do kids need a ticket for Foxfield?

No. Children 12 and under get in free and do not need a ticket. Everyone older needs a general admission ticket, including every passenger in a car with a parking hangtag.

Can you bring a dog to the Foxfield Races?

No. Dogs are not allowed at the races. Registered service dogs are accepted if you arrange it with the race office first.

Where are the Foxfield Races?

At 2215 Foxfield Track, Charlottesville. The race office is at 434-293-9501.