Get your derby hats and sunglasses ready. The echo of thundering hooves will soon return to Camden, SC — just a short drive from Charlotte — for the 90th annual Carolina Cup.

When: Saturday, March 29
Where: Springdale Race Course, Camden SC — only a 90 min. drive from Charlotte
Important times: Gates open at 9 a.m. + races begin at 1 p.m.
Tickets now available

A longstanding tradition

The annual races mark a keystone event for horse-racing culture in the Carolinas, matched with a casual and lively atmosphere. Unlike other high-profile horse races like The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY (hey, LOUtoday), Springdale Race Course offers 1,600+ tailgate spaces, providing ample room for tents, cookouts, brunch, games, and personal photo shoots.

Horse racing holds a longstanding culture in the Carolinas. | Photo by CLTtoday

"We've got families who have been coming for generations and they have had the same tailgate space," Toby Edwards, Carolina Cup's executive director, shared exclusively with CLTtoday.

"We get people from every state this side of the Mississippi," explained Edwards. "It's a right of passage for spring in the Carolinas."

The race day experience

Between races, guests can peruse the Paddock Shoppes andVendor Village for hats, accessories, and goodies from local and regional vendors, plus consider entering tailgating and hat competitions for exciting prizes.

As for you parents, feel free to bring the kids. Carolina Cup offers a free "Kids Zone" where children 12 and under can access activities all day long.

Carolina Cup goers spend the day grilling, tailgating, and playing games between races. | Photo by CLTtoday

Of horses and men

As a former jockey, the Carolina Cup holds a special place for Edwards, who attributes the annual spectacle to be rooted in a timeless passion people share for horse racing. He hopes more Charlotteans will make the trip down I-77 South to Camden for an event unlike anything else found in the Carolinas.

"If you've never been, you don't know what you're missing."