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sport · Thursday 2 July 2026 · 17:30 
Bellewstown Summer Festival - Day 1
At Bellewstown Racecourse · Bellewstown, Co. Meath (Drogheda area)
At Bellewstown Racecourse · Bellewstown, Co. Meath (Drogheda area)
Evening racing on the Hill of Crockafotha is one of those summer experiences that does not feel like anywhere else in Ireland. Bellewstown Racecourse sits high above the Boyne Valley in Co. Meath, and the first evening of the Summer Festival on 2 July 2026 draws a crowd that is equal parts serious racing punter, family out for the night, and people who simply want to be somewhere with a bit of life to it. Gates open at 5:30pm with a full card of flat and hurdle racing under the long evening light. Tickets start from €20, which makes it one of the more affordable race meetings on the Irish calendar.
Bellewstown has been racing since at least 1726 - the Dublin Gazette records races here in that year - and the Summer Festival is the highlight of its calendar. The July fixture runs across three evenings (2, 3 and 4 July), and Day 1 sets the tone for the week. Expect a mix of flat races and hurdles on the one-mile, one-furlong left-handed course. The racecourse is run by a voluntary committee and has kept a distinctly community feel: ice cream vans, food stalls, a fairground, and the old tradition of picnicking on the hillside are all part of the package. There is a family-friendly enclosure with food and drink outlets, and a hospitality marquee for those who want the full afternoon out. The views across the Boyne Valley from the top of the hill are genuinely worth the trip on their own.
Bellewstown is about 8 km south of Drogheda, off the main Drogheda - Duleek road. By car from Dublin it takes roughly 40 minutes via the M1 motorway northbound, exit at Junction 8 (Drogheda South) and follow signs for Bellewstown. From Drogheda town it is a short drive south. Parking is available on-site at the racecourse. Public transport connections to Bellewstown village itself are limited, so most people arrive by car; race and stay packages from Dublin and the northeast are available through third-party operators if you want transport included.
The racecourse sits in the broader Drogheda hinterland, close to the Boyne Valley passage tombs and the historic Battle of the Boyne site at Oldbridge. A visit to the races pairs well with a day exploring what is one of the richest archaeological landscapes in Europe. There is more to see in Bellewstown and across Co. Meath.
Heading to Bellewstown Racecourse in Bellewstown? Meath has plenty more to see. Read the Bellewstown area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.