Fair Grounds

Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots combines tradition and modern amenities to provide a complete experience for horse racing fans and slot machine players alike.

Fair Grounds is the third-oldest track in North America, offering horse racing since 1872. A new grandstand and clubhouse were opened in 1997 and were updated following Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, the track added slot machines, and a year later, it opened a new slots facility that accommodates up to 700 of the newest games on the market.

The facility is open year round for slots and simulcast horse racing. Fair Grounds conducts two live racing seasons -- a Quarter Horse meet in September, followed by the Thoroughbred meet, which traditionally begins on Thanksgiving Day and runs through late March.

Thanksgiving at Fair Grounds has been a staple for generations of New Orleans families. Whether enjoying the buffet in the tiered clubhouse dining room, which offers everyone a view of the racetrack, or just welcoming back the horses from the paddock rail, fans flock to Gentilly Boulevard for the start of another season of racing.

A new feature of the live racing season has quickly gained popularity --Starlight Racing, which is offered one Friday each month. Instead of the traditional afternoon racing programs, the action is shifted to nighttime, and offers far more than just the ponies. A party atmosphere in a tent next to the track and the clubhouse has turned Starlight Racing into the place to be in New Orleans.

On the track, Fair Grounds' winter schedule allows 3-year-old horses the opportunity to prepare for the Kentucky Derby in the mild winter climate of New Orleans. The biggest race on Fair Grounds' calendar each year is the Louisiana Derby, run in late March and featuring contenders for the run for the roses just a few weeks later at Churchill Downs.

With its central location in the Mid-City area of New Orleans and easy access via I-610, Fair Grounds is a short drive away from anywhere in the metro area.