Ireland’s biggest and most famous racing festival is held in Galway during the last week of July every year and involves seven days of unrivalled action. The 2024 festival will run from Monday 29th of July to Sunday 4th of August. Each year some 250,000 people attend the Galway Races throughout the week, and the town has a real buzz at night. Visiting the races makes for a fantastic experience and is a must for both tourists and locals alike. It is a joyous, fun-filled seven days where people leave with great new experiences, new friends and a time that will never be forgotten.
There are 49 races available in the 2024 Galway Races Festival schedule, with betting held at the Galway Festival over its seven day duration and the total Prize money on offer is in excess of €2 million. The racecourse itself is one mile and two furlongs in length with a steep uphill finish. Ballybrit racecourse is famous for the last two fences, which are the two closest fences of any race course in the world.
The main event of the week is, and always has been the Galway Plate which is held on Wednesday. The Galway Plate attracts by far the most media attention and certainly much of the Galway Festival betting. Another stand out day is the Galway Hurdle which is held on Thursday. The Galway Hurdle is often overshadowed by Ladies Day, where Ladie compete for the best dressed and most elegant hat competitions. Ladies Day is considered to be the most glamorous and colourful day of them all. On the other hand, the grand finale of the week is marked by Mad Hatter's Day, where the most creative and inventive hats triumph.
