In the five years since the first MARS Maryland 5-Star appeared on the scene at Fair Hill, it has improved what it offers with each edition.
While the Oct. 16-19 eventing fixture continues to attract top horses from the U.S. and overseas, there is even more for families to enjoy this autumn, from pony racing and the Corgi Cup to the hands-on activities in the Kids Corner.. There’s also a local food festival and the beer, wine and spirits festival. The Real Rider Cup founded by Anita Motion, benefiting Thoroughbred aftercare, will be making its debut at the competition.
New Zealand’s Tim Price is a regular at the MARS 5-star.( Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Tickets are on sale at https://www.maryland5star.us/ for the event presented by Brown Advisory. It’s possible to attend on a budget with prices starting at $18, and general admission free for children 10 and under.
Options include reserved seats, hospitality packages at the main arena and a Saturday-only VIP hospitality offering at the Sawmill Waterfront Club, located along the cross-country course at the MARS Sustainability Bay. Tailgating for the cross-country phase on Saturday of the event will go on sale in July.
Oliver Townend of Britain, Maryland winner in 2024 with Ballaghmor Class. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
The event continues to increase in popularity. Last year, 32,000 people attended the 5-star, an 11 percent increase from 2023 for the production of the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland.