Here’s a write up on the Foxfield Races (this year’s races are this Saturday, 4/24) from our wonderful UVA intern Kristina-
Spring time in Charlottesville would not be complete without blooming dogwoods, sunny afternoons for hikes, and the pinnacle of all spring events, the Foxfield Races. I look forward to these steeplechase races every year as a festive way to cap off the school year and have some fun before exams.
The spring races are a bit different from the ones that take place in the fall. Every year in late April, University of Virginia students descend upon the rolling field in western Albemarle County for the day. Aside from UVA students and other Charlottesville residents, the spring races attract many UVA alumni, as well as students from Washington and Lee and other Virginia schools.
Different student organizations usually purchase a plot, or you and some friends may purchase one, and there are hundreds of plots. The scene itself is part of what makes the day. The spring races resemble a massive tailgate, similar to something you would see for football game. Unlike a football game, the tailgating goes on all day, and while the races go on, most people are preoccupied with food, drinks, and socializing. You may decide to hang out on your own plot all day, but it is also fun to roam around the many plots to see friends or people watch. Everywhere you look there are girls in sundresses, and many even don hats. It’s overwhelming, but the energy of the day is contagious. The main joke amongst students is whether or not they even see a horse, because the event is so social. I took the time to find some horses and snap a couple of shots, to prove that the event was, actually, a horse race.
