By Lily Burton
The annual Roman Day at the Chester Races will be taking place on 30th May. This day features a range of activities for all ages, ranging from the thrilling horse racing to immersive Roman-themed entertainment, interactive shows, and hands on historical activities. The event typically attracts between 18,000 to 20,000 and is noted as one of the racecourse’s most popular family event.
You get to witness the striking Roman stunt shows, archery displays and gladiator boot camps with children (17 and under) get to go for free!
Louise Stewart, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chester Racecourse has said: “Our much-loved Roman Day is a celebration of racing, families and the city’s amazing history.
We’re not as old as the Romans but Chester Racecourse is the oldest operating racecourse in the world – so we love to celebrate our heritage and just like the Romans – we know what makes for a wonderful spectacle and good day out.”
The single day event honours the time of the Roman occupation and where Chester stands today which was a fortress called Deva Victrix, named after the Goddess of the River Dee which flows through the city. No racecourse in the United Kingdom can match Chester for its history alone. When the first recorded horse race took place on the Roodee in 1539, Henry VIII was in power, and tying the knot again, the Dissolution of the Monasteries was underway, and the city of Chester was still just a working port on the River Dee.
However, the history of this racecourse goes further back than 1539, the Romans built a harbour on the ground. Medieval Cestrians would hold Shrove Tuesday football matches there as well, until horse racing eventually took root in the mid-16th century. The course has remained the heart of its racing evolution. It has witnessed the shift from two-horse matches to extreme competitive fields. It has become a first-choice classic trial ground. And through every era it’s been standing, the tight circular layout, surrounded by the river and its ancient city walls, remain physically unchanged.
This Roman Day will follow from the record-breaking, annual Boodles May Festival, which kicked of the beginning of racing season earlier this May and tickets are available for purchase through the Chester Racecourse website – starting from £20 adult tickets.
It should also be noted that if you plan to attend more than one family event, booking both the Roman Day and Family Fun Day can you save you 20% in total! Gates will open at 11:15, the first race taking place just two hours afterwards at 1:15, and then the final race at 4:38. It’s a good thing that the weather has been looking up recently.
