One of the most exciting aspects of Race Day is the highly contested Tailgate Contest, where participants showcase their creativity and culinary skills, all in good spirit. However, even if you're not feeling particularly competitive, creating a fantastic tailgate experience is a wonderful way to enjoy the day and make lasting memories. Here are some tips to ensure your Montpelier Races tailgate is a winner.

Hats and horse racing go hand-in-hand and as such, is celebrated with a Contest that gives everyone a chance to show off their millinery finery. From the sublime to the slightly ridiculous, all hats are welcome! No pre-entry required. Judging in several categories including children's entry, gentlemen's entry, and group entry. Just choose which aligns best with your design.

The JROTC of Orange County High School has been invaluable help to the Montpelier Races for many years. After any big event, there is a lot of trash generated and while our crowd is very considerate of our beautiful historic grounds, thank you!, there is still the need for trash removal. And the JROTC takes on this task. As part of the Orange community, we are happy to support programs and opportunities like the JROTC which are such valuable opportunities for our secondary students.

The Jack Russell Terrier Races at Montpelier Races are the first event of the day, starting at 10:15am and they draw a great crowd of enthusiastic spectators. We have a loyal “stable” of participants including one dog who raced here for about 13 years, Mr. Niblett. At his passing his owners honored him with a perpetual trophy and the Mr. Niblett Memorial Race for Senior Dogs is always highly contested.

We are very proud of the History surrounding the Montpelier property, all the different stories and timelines that are represented here. The first residents, the Madison Family, built the original home and began farming the land.