Media Release, Monday 8th April 2024: With just three weeks to go and 100,000 people expected to attend, Punchestown Racecourse today reminded festival goers of exciting plans and enhancements for the upcoming 2024 Punchestown Festival running from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May.
The five day social and sporting highlight is a homecoming celebration of Irish jump racing, sport and culture. With a prize fund of over €3.4 million, twelve top tier grade one contests, season champions like Galopin Des Champs and household names including Willie Mullins, Rachael Blackmore and Paul Townend in action. Beyond the parade ring and into the enclosures the Punchestown Festival is Ireland’s largest sporting corporate hospitality event and will host over 17,000 guests across an impressive array of restaurants, pavilions and suites. The competition on track will be hard fought whilst the style stakes in the prestigious Bollinger Best Dressed, live music, street theatre and Shopping Village appeals to the social element of the attendees.
The Four Key Changes for Punchestown Festival 2024:
1.Earlier Start Times
The first two days of the 2024 Punchestown Festival will revert to a 2.30pm start from the current time of 3.40pm. Market research shows that around 70% of paying clients would ‘definitely or most probably’ like to see some of the festival days start and finish earlier.
2.Ticket Products and Pricing
Whether it’s a business or a household value for money is particularly important now more than ever. Following a full review of ticket pricing and products there will be a price reduction to €30 for the first three days and €40 for Friday and Saturday of the 2024 Punchestown Festival for advance purchased tickets. There will be an additional €5 per ticket charge for on the day purchases excluding senior, student and family day concession tickets that can only be purchased on the day. As a premium sport and leisure event these prices compare very favourably to similar occasions.
As always group discounts apply and for larger groups it is recommended that they contact the racecourse office directly in advance. The original Flexi ticket will be replaced by the new Choice Ticket that can be used Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday. Senior, student and Family ticket concessions continue on a walk-up basis. All children under 14 years of age race for free all season.
3.Refreshed Festival Layout
The festival layout will undergo a refresh including the removal of the traditional reserved enclosure divide and the introduction of exciting new features around the parade ring enclosure. The famous Sky Bar, Bollinger Garden, Shopping and entertainment areas will remain as popular as ever with the Southern Enclosure accessible to all. The objective is to optimise the scope of the enclosures, utilise all available facilities which in turn will improve footfall, flow and reduce potential pressure points.
4. Enhance & Improve Raceday Experience
This point is neither new nor dynamic as the pursuit of excellent customer experience is an ongoing process. The enhancement of the race day visit will go hand-in-hand with the new layout. The Punchestown demographic is a diverse one with varied tastes and requirements for a memorable customer experience. Alongside our catering and service partners, we aim to deliver a selection of great quality food and beverage options with efficient, friendly service in comfortable surroundings. Whilst costs have increased across the board for product and services every effort has been made to minimise the impact on the customer.
Conor O’Neill Punchestown CEO explained the theory behind the strategy: “We say it time and time again that people make Punchestown, so it is those very people who have shaped and informed this plan and it is this plan that will help us deliver the best possible Punchestown experience we can to our customers who are the backbone of our business. Now we need support with feet on the ground and people through the gates. If it doesn’t work for the customer it ultimately won’t work for Punchestown, so I hope we’ve got the balance right as we look ahead to welcoming friends old and new to the 2024 upcoming Punchestown Festival.”
The 2024 Punchestown Festival will take place from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May. For full information please visit www.punchestown.com
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Editors Notes
Punchestown Festival 2024 Advance Ticket Prices
- Tuesday/Wednesday/ Thursday €30
- Friday and Saturday €40
- Student and Senior receive a €10 discount on the day with proof of ID
- *New product* The Choice Ticket – can be used on either Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday – €35
- Saturday Family Ticket for two adults and children €50
- Under 14 years of age race for free all year at Punchestown.
- Group of 10 people plus receive discounts.
- There will be no Flexi ticket available for the 2024 Festival.
- *Advance Tickets are those booked and paid for by 10pm the night before the race day.
Jessica O’Mahony Welcomed as the Bollinger Best Dressed Style Council Assembles for Punchestown 2024
Media Release, Thursday 28th March 2024: As the countdown to the 2024 Punchestown Festival gets underway the Bollinger Best Dressed Style Council is delighted to welcome Jessica O’Mahony as guest judge for the prestigious racing fashion competition.
As a busy mum of three, Jessica has amassed a following of over 95,000 Instagram (@jeskaomahony) followers thanks to her enviable sense of style from formal occasion wear to casual match day outfits and everything in between. Whilst more familiar pitch side than track side, as Jessica’s husband is Peter O’Mahony, captain of the victorious Six Nations Irish rugby team, the Cork woman is looking forward to embracing this new experience “This will be my first visit to the Punchestown Festival and certainly my first time being involved in a style competition like this. I’m excited to experience a different side of a major sporting event and take in all the fashion, colour and atmosphere that it brings. Whilst I’m as comfortable in casual wear I do love an excuse to pull out all the stops and a big day out at the races with friends is just that, not to mention the amazing prize from Bollinger.”
The 2024 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May with the iconic champagne house Bollinger celebrating eight years involvement at the social and sporting highlight. The Bollinger Best Dressed Competition takes place over the first four days of the event. Judges and style scouts will be tasked with seeking out a number of finalists each day. The daily winner will then progress to the grand final on Ladies Day, Festival Friday, 3rd May.
The overall winner and guest will enjoy an appropriately stylish and exclusive ‘money cannot buy’ trip to the famous Champagne Bollinger Estate with luxury overnight stays in Paris and Reims to include Michelin dining and private transfers. Truly a trip of a lifetime and something worth dressing up for.
Jessica O’Mahony joins the established and diverse Style Council led by head judge, stylist and influencer Jess Colivet and ably assisted by returning names including beauty entrepreneur Suzie O’Neill of AYU, David O’Connor from Louis Copeland, stylist Lawson Mpame, sustainable fashion stylist Roxanne Parker, former winner Katie Nally-McCormack and MC Marietta Doran. Travelling especially from France to enjoy her first Punchestown Festival experience is Champagne Bollinger Brand Ambassador Eva Gottesman. The best place to keep up to date with Bollinger Best Dressed information is via the Punchestown Instagram page
This year’s Punchestown Festival will roll out new reduced ticket pricing, a refreshed layout with enhanced customer experience venues and earlier start times on the first two days. Whilst hospitality is now sold out from Tuesday to Friday there is limited availability on Saturday 4th May with waiting lists in operation throughout the week. For full event information and ticket options please visit: www.punchestown.com
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