Staged annually at Newcastle Racecourse in High Gosforth Park, approximately six miles north of Newcastle city centre, in late July, Ladies Day is one of the highlights of the social calendar in the North East of England. Although not quite on a par with, say, Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, which attracts 70,000 spectators, Ladies Day at Newcastle still attracts over 16,000 racegoers in search of a sophisticated, yet light-hearted, day out with family and friends.
On the racecourse, the action tends to be low-key, but competitive, characterised by run-of-the-mill handicaps, maiden stakes and classified stakes races. In 2025, for example, one of the most valuable races of the day was the Beeswing Handicap, run over a mile and worth £5,234 in prize money. However, the absence of lucrative Group 1 prizes does little to detract from the atmosphere of Ladies Day and, unlike Ascot, Newcastle Racecourse does not impose any strict dress code.
In fact, racegoers on Ladies Day are encouraged to embrace the occasion and put together an outfit that confidently reflects their own style and personality, however flamboyant that may be. Every ticket holder is, by default, entered into the Style Awards at no extra charge, provided, of course, their outfit is actually seen by the judges.
Summer dresses, mini, midi or maxi, cutout dresses, off-the-shoulder dresses, sculpted dresses, in neutral colours, soft pastel floral designs or bright, bold, eye-catching prints, the list of possibilities is almost endless. Again, unlike Royal Ascot, headwear is not a mandatory requirement for Ladies Day at Newcastle, but if you want to wear a statement hat, fascinator, oversized headband or bow you are perfectly at liberty to do so; quite literally, anything goes. If you want to win one of the lucrative prize packages presented to the 10 best-dressed racegoers, all the judges ask is that pay attention to details, such as fit, finish and accessories, and plan your outfit to create an impression.