Your Showcase Finalists: Non-Raceday Event
With the Finalists for the 2022 RCA Showcase & Awards now out it’s time to take a look at those in the running for each of the awards. The Non-Raceday Event category recognises that the racecourse is a multi-purpose, year-round venue.
Aintree—Champions League Final Screening
With just a matter of weeks between the semi-finals and final, the Aintree team had to act fast to market, sell and deliver a Champions League Final screening befitting of its home city. With clear objectives to create the perfect atmosphere to watch the match in comfort for all the family, the only thing missing was a Liverpool win for the 5,000 happy football fans making Aintree their makeshift Anfield.
Champions League Final Screening
Bath—Cider Festival (Non) Raceday
Cider in Somerset is serious business. Bath Racecourse’s legendary Cider Festival is a must-attend event for thousands within the locality, however with an unprecedented drought the racecourse was forced to abandon a plethora of meetings. The ingenuity and determination of the Bath team meant the Cider Festival was saved, with all the fun of a day’s racing brought to the racecourse (minus the horses)!
Cider Festival (Non) Raceday
Cheltenham—Gold Cup Community Tour
Cheltenham Racecourse is synonymous with the historic Festival, but for many in the town the Gold Cup is not as famous as it might appear. The racecourse team sought to address this by taking the Gold Cup on tour to local schools, businesses and community centres to ensure the town reclaimed its most famous trophy (and welcome some new faces to the Festival 2023 along the way).
Gold Cup Community Tour
Goodwood—BBC Good Food Festival
For the first time in its prestigious history, the BBC Good Food Festival was looking for an outside home away from Hampton Court Palace. Goodwood Racecourse came to the fore and the synergy of the venue and event was as clear as the Great British Bake Off and its tent. A gastronomical heaven, Goodwood was transformed over a weekend and created plenty of new racing fans in the process.
BBC Good Food Festival
Musselburgh—This Was The Greatest Show!
The Musselburgh Community Fireworks returned to the East Lothian racecourse for the first time in a decade and based on this showing, it certainly won’t be leaving again any time soon. Musselburgh gave this event the five-star treatment as per the racecourse’s status from VisitScotland with a heavy community focus and delicious street food boulevard, all backed by the family-favourite Greatest Showman soundtrack. Zendaya would be proud of this one…
This Was The Greatest Show! Picture: Alan Rennie
