There is no official dress code at the Cheltenham Festival for any of the events over the four day period. However, due to the high calibre of this event, it’s more of a ‘dress to impress’ type of event. If you’re unsure on how to dress at the Cheltenham Festival here is a rough guide for different scenarios:
Women’s Cheltenham Dress Code
Ladies will wear a dress to the festival often in a bright colour and will generally top it off by wearing a hat. This is especially prominent on ‘Ladies Day’ when fashion comes into play with many ladies hoping to stand out from the crowd. It is recommended that women don’t wear outfits of a revealing nature as doing so may result in entry refusal.
Other things for ladies to keep in mind is the choice of footwear. High heels may be the obvious option but you may be stood up for hours on end so a change of footwear is advised. Another thing to note is that the festival takes place in March meaning it may be cold so warm clothing such as a coat would be advisable.
Men’s Cheltenham Dress Code
Gentlemen will usually wear suits to the festival if they are planning on entering the Club Enclosure, restaurants or hospitality facilities. More relaxed styles are welcome through the week however on Gold Cup Day (Friday) it may be less so.
It is also important to keep weather conditions so an umbrella and/or an anorak may be required if rain is forecast.
Planning on driving to Cheltenham
It’s important to bear in mind that around two-thirds of the festival car parks are actually on grass, these are ones that are accessible to the public. This is important to keep in mind when deciding on footwear especially if the weather conditions are wet or have been in the run-up to the festival.
Fancy Dress at Cheltenham
Fancy dress is allowed to be worn at the festival however, if it is of an obscene or offensive nature you may be refused entry. If you plan on entering the Club Enclosure during the festival, fancy dress is not permitted at all. If you want to wear fancy dress we’d advise attending on Thursday as that is when they are more prominent due to it being St Patrick's Thursday. Try to avoid wearing fancy dress on Gold Cup day as it may potentially be frowned upon.
Cheltenham Bag Policy
Racegoers are encouraged to leave all bags at home or at a hotel. All bags will be searched when entering the Cheltenham festival. This will cause delays so please leave extra time for your bag to be searched when attending.
Small bags such as handbags and backpacks (of an appropriate size) will be allowed into the course providing they contain no contraband and are limited to one per person. Larger bags such as holdalls, suitcases, hiking backpacks or any other large item will not be allowed in. In such cases, racegoers can use the luggage facilities. There may be exceptions for medical items if you contact the course before attending.