Chester Racecourse to Host Chester Heritage Festival Launch Event on MBNA Roman Day – Saturday 25 May

Chester Racecourse to Host Chester Heritage Festival Launch Event on MBNA Roman Day – Saturday 25 May

Chester Racecourse’s Roman Day fixture is a celebration of the racecourse’s historical roots and location within the Roman city of Chester. This year the oldest racecourse still in use in the UK, if not the world, commemorates 480 years of racing on the Roodee. To celebrate, the racecourse has teamed up with Chester’s Heritage Festival to bring a special festival launch event to proceedings and provide racegoers with a supplementary schedule of heritage-led activities to the afternoon’s racing card.

Chester’s Midsummer Watch Parade will be staging a special one-off procession from Watergate Street on route to the racecourse at lunchtime and racegoers will be encouraged to join the characters and puppets involved as they make their way onto course from 12pm. Chester’s Town Crier David Mitchell will stage his proclamation and declare the start of the day’s festivities and festival launch event once the troupe arrive on course and Heritage Festival organisers will join Raceday Commentator Stephen Wundke to provide racegoers with more information about the activities on offer during the day and what to expect from this year’s Heritage Festival.

Join Festival organisers and the team from Chester Racecourse and enjoy a host of fun about the course at this family themed celebratory race day. Expect jousting and chariot displays between races from the Devils Horsemen as well as some spectacular sporting displays on the famous Roodee turf. Younger racegoers will have the opportunity to learn some fascinating facts about their Cestrian ancestors out on the Open Course, as well as take part in mosaic crafts and Roman helmet making and meet the legion of Romans on course. Don’t forget, entrance is free for those aged 17 and under when accompanied by a responsible adult.

Tickets and badges can be bought online from just £12 per person online at chester-races.com and Chester residents can take advantage of a special celebratory offer and purchase half price tickets for a limited period. If you live in a CH1-4 postcode, you can purchase County Concourse Badges and Tattersalls Enclosure tickets at half price! This offer is only available until Friday 26 April and strictly limited to four tickets or badges per person and is available in person only at the Chester Racecourse Box Office.

Chief Executive of Chester Race Company, Richard Thomas, said:

“We are pleased to be able to support the launch of Chester Heritage Festival at this year’s Roman Day fixture. In a year where we acknowledge the racecourse’s legacy and an important milestone, it feels fitting to join forces and ensure our breadth of attendance is informed about the exciting festival programme coming in June, in parallel with our ongoing season of activities both on and off the track.”

Chairman of the Chester Heritage Festival and Vice President of Chester Civic Trust Stephen Langtree said:

“It is a great pleasure to launch the 2019 Festival at Chester’s historic racecourse.  Our programme of events at the end of June is the biggest and best yet, thanks to all the organisations and individuals who are contributing.  We hope Roman Day and everything that follows will bring Chester’s rich heritage to an ever-growing audience.

Director of Place Strategy for Cheshire West and Chester Council, Lisa Harris said:

“It’s great to see the festival grow and develop from year to year. Working alongside Chester Racecourse, Chester Civic Trust and others for this year’s festival reinforces the significance the Council attaches to working across all sectors. The festival will once again provide an exciting opportunity to showcase the City’s amazing heritage to residents and visitors alike.”

Chester Heritage Festival will take place between 21 and 29 June with over 60 events in and around Chester. The Festival tells the story of our city and its people, how the past shapes Chester today. The city is the stage as walks, talks, performances, exhibitions, storytelling and children’s activities bring Chester and its heritage to life.  The Festival again coincides with the Midsummer Watch Parades on 22 and 23 June. Visit www.visitcheshire.com/chesterheritagefestival and look out for festival booklets around the city, racecourse on MBNA Roman Day and in libraries throughout Cheshire West when the festival programme is published in May.