Excitement is mounting as Epsom prepares for The World’s Greatest Flat Race at Epsom Downs Racecourse and the town will be celebrating this annual event with a host of entertainment during the half term week in the run up to the Investec Derby Festival.

The Epsom Derby Festival Week is a joint event organised by What’s On In Epsom, The Ashley Centre, Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Epsom Playhouse and Bourne Hall Museum and will include a traditional Derby Sunday Market in the Marketplace, children’s craft activities, fashion shows, history walks, screening of the classic 1952 Derby Day film, a free concert and shop window competition.

On Friday 26 and Saturday 27 May from 11am until 4pm in The Ashley Centre there will be stunning fashion shows of the perfect outfit for the races on the hour each hour highlighting the latest looks from The Ashley Centre retailers for the fashion conscious racing fans. Models from The Sunnybank Trust, one of The Ashley Centre chosen charities will be featured in the fashion shows at 12noon and 1pm and highly acclaimed tapas restaurant El Patio will be coming in to offer visitors mouth-watering tasters.

Continuing the tradition of a Sunday market before the Derby, What’s On In Epsom will be holding a market with a variety of stalls and entertainment on Sunday 28 May in the Market Place from 10am until 4pm.

Bourne Hall Museum will be running Derby History Walks around the town on Sunday 28 May at 6pm and on Wednesday 31 May at 7.30pm. Booking essential.

The Ashley Centre will be hosting free children activities from Monday 29th May until Wednesday 31st May from 10.30am – 4.30pm with the grand finale taking place on Thursday 1st June with the simulator horse race.

On Wednesday 31 May at 2pm the Epsom Playhouse will be showing the 1952 classic film Derby Day starring Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding. This will be free entry with a collection for the Mayor’s Charities afterwards and booking is required. Doors open at 2pm with a short talk by David Brooks of Bourne Hall Museum.

On Thursday 1 June there will be a party in the Market Place from 5pm with a free concert featuring local acts, interviews, face painting and lots more all in aid of the Mayor’s Charities.

During Epsom Derby Festival Week local shops will be decorating their windows in a Derby theme for a chance to win a great prize from Epsom Downs Racecourse. There will also be wooden horses in The Ashley Centre all week decorated by local schools in their own school colours!

The action moves up to Epsom Downs Racecourse on Friday 2 June with Investec Ladies’ Day and on Saturday 3 June for Investec Derby Day. Gates open each day at 11am.

The Investec Derby Festival can be enjoyed by all in the ticketed enclosures or for free on the Poundland Hill. The Poundland Hill will have betting facilities, food and drink stalls, toilet facilities and the traditional funfair in the dip. The band Loveshack will be playing classic hits on the entertainment stage throughout the day.

At Tattenham corner end of the Poundland Hill there will be the inaugural Epsom Classic Car Rally and the traditional market stalls. Keep an eye out for the ‘Poundland on the Hill’ area, where there will be a range of fun and educational activities for all ages.

Also new this year is the ‘Hillside Enclosure’, located where the Family Enclosure has been previously but it will be bigger and better for 2017. It will feature the ‘Family Zone’ and ‘Garden Party’ area.

The Family Zone will offer free children’s entertainment, including: a Big Top; fairground rides; a helter skelter; traditional fairground stalls; carousel; educational pony rides; facepainters; a colouring wall and more.

The Garden Party area will offer a range of quality locally-sourced food options, fun giant garden games and roaming live musicians to set a relaxed atmosphere. The area will also boast betting facilities, bars and designated toilet facilities.

This is designed to be a secure ticketed area for families and groups to enjoy the Greatest Flat Race in the World. All customers are welcome to bring their own picnics and children come racing for free so this enclosure proves great value for money to watch the top-class racing over the two days.

For more details, visit The Ashley Centre or What’s On In Epsom Facebook pages or look out for posters on the borough noticeboards.

Article supplied by Mary Zoeller