Henley Royal Regatta 2027

What is Henley Royal Regatta?

Henley Royal Regatta is the world's most famous rowing regatta, held each summer on a straight stretch of the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. It was founded in 1839, and crews race head to head, two boats at a time, in knockout heats over about a mile and a quarter, from schoolboys and university crews to Olympic champions.

It is also one of the great events of the English summer season, with its blazers, strict dress code in the Stewards' Enclosure and picnics along the towpath. The regatta has steadily expanded its women's racing: in 2026 it added three new women's quadruple sculls events, for intermediate, club and student crews, bringing the number of women's events to 14, ten of them added since 2017.

What is new for 2027?

The 2027 regatta runs from Tuesday 29 June to Sunday 4 July, and the official site says tickets go on sale in spring 2027. The milestone is equality: by 2027 the regatta will offer an equal number of open and women's events, which it describes as gender parity by event for the first time in its history. To make room, the Britannia Challenge Cup and the Visitors' Challenge Cup are expected to be suspended from 2027.

Hospitality packages for 2027 can already be booked, and the full race programme and draw will be published nearer the regatta.

How is it organised?

Racing is a knockout. Two crews race side by side down the course, separated by booms, and the winner goes through to the next round, until the finals on Sunday. Events cover eights, fours, pairs, sculls and quads for men and women, across categories from schools and universities to club and elite crews.

Spectators choose between two enclosures:

• The Regatta Enclosure: open to the public, near the finish, with riverside seating, an open grandstand, a covered restaurant, outdoor dining, bars and pop-up food.
• The Stewards' Enclosure: for members and their guests only, with the regatta's famous dress code. Members can authorise personal guests to buy badges.

Members and their guests can use both enclosures; everyone else uses the Regatta Enclosure. The towpath and riverbanks beyond the enclosures are free, and many people watch from there with a picnic. Each trophy has its own long history, and the regatta publishes the full list of trophies and prizegivers on its website.

When is it, and what are the hours?

The regatta's day planner gives these provisional racing times, based on the most recent regatta:

The enclosures open 30 minutes before racing each day, and from 10:00 on Sunday. From Wednesday to Saturday, crews also row celebratory "rowpasts" in front of the enclosures. The exact 2027 race schedule will be published nearer the event.

Where is it held?

On the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, a market town between Reading and Maidenhead. The course runs upstream towards Henley Bridge and the town, finishing close to the enclosures, which are a short walk from the town centre and the station.

How do tickets work?

Regatta Enclosure tickets are sold through the regatta's ticket page or the Ticket Orderline on 01491 572153, and go on sale in spring 2027. Depending on the day, daily admission has ranged from £38 to £64 per person; check the 2027 prices when sales open. Children under 14 enter free with an adult who has a valid badge.

The Stewards' Enclosure is not sold publicly: members buy badges, and can authorise their guests to buy them. Official hospitality packages are sold separately.

How do I get there and get around?

The regatta says trains run frequently to Henley-on-Thames from London Paddington, usually with a change at Twyford, and Great Western Railway runs a special timetable for regatta week. The enclosures are within easy walking distance of the station and the town. The bus station in the town centre is about a ten-minute walk away, and the taxi drop-off on the A4130 is about five minutes from the enclosures.

Where can I park, and where should I stay?

Regatta car parks open daily from 07:30 and lock at 21:00, with no overnight parking. Daily parking can be booked in advance up to 23 June, or bought at the gate on the day, subject to space. For minibus and disabled parking, contact the Badge Office on 01491 572153.

Henley itself is small and fills up during regatta week, so many visitors stay in Reading, Marlow, Maidenhead or London and come in by train.

What can I bring, and what should I wear?

The Regatta Enclosure has no dress code, though many visitors wear club blazers or rowing kit. Only small bags and baby-changing bags are allowed, bags are searched, and there is no left luggage.

The Stewards' Enclosure dress code is strict. Men must wear lounge suits, or jackets or blazers with trousers, with a tie or cravat. Women must wear dresses or skirts with a hemline below the knee, jackets or blazers with trousers, or trouser suits; hats are customary but not required. Nobody may wear shorts, leggings, tracksuits or jeans, and phone calls must be made outside the enclosure.

Children, service animals and accessibility

Children of all ages are welcome in the Regatta Enclosure, and under-14s go free with an adult. In the Stewards' Enclosure, children must be ten or over and follow the same dress code. Assistance dogs are allowed in the Regatta Enclosure; other animals are not.

For visitors with mobility needs, a "Wheely chauffeur" service runs drop-offs and pick-ups from 07:30 to 21:00 each day, collecting from the Wheely Lounge in the main Lion Meadow car park. Contact the Badge Office for disabled parking.

Who goes, and what do first-timers get wrong?

The crowd mixes rowing clubs, schools and universities supporting their crews, former rowers in faded club blazers, Stewards' Enclosure members and guests, and day-trippers enjoying the river. On the water are crews from around the world, from junior rowers to Olympians.

First-timers often confuse the two enclosures and turn up at the Stewards' Enclosure without a member's invitation, or in the wrong clothes. They bring a large bag to the Regatta Enclosure, which has no left luggage, or drive into Henley without booking parking. Pick your enclosure, check its dress code, and take the train.