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family · Sunday 2 August 2026 · 12:00pm 
Galway Races Mad Hatters Family Fun Day
At Galway Racecourse · Ballybrit, Galway
At Galway Racecourse · Ballybrit, Galway
The Galway Races Summer Festival wraps up each year with its most relaxed and colourful afternoon - the Mad Hatters Family Fun Day at Ballybrit Racecourse on Sunday 2nd August 2026. Where the earlier days in the week lean into fashion and fashion-forward crowds, this final Sunday is firmly aimed at families. Children get in free when accompanied by an adult, and the atmosphere shifts accordingly: less about dressing to impress, more about turning up in a homemade hat and letting the kids loose on a course that has been transformed into something closer to a summer fair with live horse racing as the backdrop. It suits families with children of almost any age, and grandparents who want to catch one last race meeting of the week.
The centrepiece of the day is the Mad Hatters hat competition, open to both children and adults. The tradition here is handmade hats - creative, original, and ideally built from recycled or upcycled materials. A “Sustainable Style” category rewards ingenuity over expense, so there is no need to buy anything in advance; the kitchen table and a roll of card the night before is entirely in the spirit of it.
Beyond the competition, there are over twenty free children’s activities running throughout the afternoon - magic shows, face painters, inflatable games, a penalty shoot-out, a family photo booth, tea-cup rides, birds of prey displays, and a miniature train among them. Turnstiles open at 11:30am, the first race goes off at 1:50pm, and eight races follow through to around 5:30pm. On the track, the Ahonoora Handicap is the feature race - the final big race of the festival week. Ireland West Airport partners on the day.
Family admission packages start from €42.50 booked in advance (€50 on the day), covering two adults and children. Individual adult tickets are €25 in advance. Children 17 and under are free throughout.
Ballybrit is about 3km east of Galway city centre, just off the N6 Dublin road. By car, follow signs for the racecourse from the M6/N6; traffic builds steadily through race week, so arriving close to the 11:30am opening is easier than arriving at midday. Parking is available on site.
From Galway city, Bus Éireann and private shuttle services run to Ballybrit during the festival. Galway railway station is well connected to Dublin Heuston and is roughly a 20-minute taxi or bus ride from the course. If you are coming from further afield, Knock (Ireland West Airport) is the nearest regional airport - around an hour’s drive.
August in Galway is lively well beyond the racecourse; the city’s medieval streets, the Spanish Arch, the Saturday market on Churchyard Street, and the Claddagh are all worth an evening. There is more to see in Galway and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Galway Racecourse in Galway? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Galway area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.