Off to the Races: Virginia Gold Cup is this weekend

Head to The Plains on Saturday for the 89th annual Virginia Gold Cup.

By Editorial • Posted April 28, 2014 at 3:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Virginia Gold Cup/Isabel Kurek.

By Katie Bowles

Isabel Kurek4 — Photo courtesy of Virginia Gold Cup/Isabel Kurek.

Break out your Lilly Pulitzer sundresses and pastel bow ties, NoVA. This Saturday, Great Meadow in The Plains is hosting the 89th Virginia Gold Cup, an annual steeplechasing/tailgating/society extravaganza.

Virginia Gold Cup’s event lineup is centered around the steeplechase (read: a horse race that features obstacles like fences and ditches) race, but the day will also include terrier races, tailgate and hat contests and catered tents.

Photo courtesy of Virginia Gold Cup/Isabel Kurek.

The Gold Cup may seem like a ritzy affair, but it’s open to the public with tickets beginning at only $85/car, an affordable price for an event that’s been occurring in Virginia’s hunt country for almost a century.

Round up your friends, check out the tailgates and place bets on your favorite horse this weekend, all while mingling with the high society of Northern Virginia. Gates open at 10 a.m.; see the full schedule here.