Renntag der Deutschen Einheit Hoppegarten

Season Finale on National Day

When all of Germany celebrates German Unity Day on October 3, the Hoppegarten Racecourse invites you to the traditional season finale. The Renntag der Deutschen Einheit 2026 is the last of seven race days of the season and concludes a year that began in early April with the "Grand Season Opening" on Easter Sunday.

Seven Race Days at a Glance (2026 Season)

• April 5, 2026 — Grand Season Opening (Easter Sunday)
• May 10, 2026 — Irish Raceday
• May 24, 2026 — Fashion Raceday (Whit Sunday)
• July 19, 2026 — Sports Day Racing
• August 9, 2026 — Westminster 136th Grand Prix of Berlin (Highlight)
• September 19, 2026 — Business Day Racing
• October 3, 2026 — Renntag der Deutschen Einheit (Season Finale)

What Makes the Race Day Special

The Renntag der Deutschen Einheit has its own character: it is more family-friendly and more relaxed than the Westminster race in August. Many Berlin families use the public holiday to spend an autumnal, sunny day at the racecourse. The program includes several flat races of different classes — no Group I highlights like on August 9, but a balanced mix of Listed races, handicaps, and selling races, which often become particularly exciting towards the end of the season.

Family, Hats, and Equestrian Sport

As on all Hoppegarten race days, there is the usual family program:

• Pony rides for children
• Bouncy castle and face painting station
• Children's games
• Catering from Brandenburg and Berlin
• Grandstand and open-air seating
• Tips and betting exchanges for flat racing beginners

First-time visitors to Hoppegarten will be surprised by the historic character of the venue: the brick grandstand, the spacious saddling areas, the history that has been written here since 1867.

Hoppegarten and its History

The Hoppegarten Racecourse was established in 1867 by the Prussian King as the "Royal Racecourse." It survived two world wars, was closed during GDR times, and became an active flat racing venue again after 1990. Today, Hoppegarten is one of the few racecourses in Eastern Germany with Group I status and has been named "best flat race in Germany" four times since 2011. The municipality of Hoppegarten belongs to the Märkisch-Oderland district and is directly accessible from Berlin via the S-Bahn line S5 — a perfect day trip destination.