Simply Red at Newmarket Racecourse 2027

Simply Red play the July Course at Newmarket Racecourse on Saturday 21 August 2027, billed "Simply Red Live After Racing" in Newmarket Nights 2027: a card of racing first, then the concert, all on one ticket. It is the only UK date of the Summer Funk '27 tour with racing on the same day, the night before the tour closes in Taunton. Of everything the course sells for the night, only the Prime Viewing Platform, an upgrade, is sold for its view of the stage.

What is Simply Red Live After Racing at Newmarket?

Simply Red Live After Racing is the band's Newmarket Nights date on the July Course at Newmarket Racecourse, on Saturday 21 August 2027. The course's live music FAQ is clear on tickets: "The ticket/s you purchase will include the racing and the concert. We do not offer a concert only ticket." No support act had been announced for Newmarket by 29 September 2026.

The Summer Funk '27 tour, announced on 17 September 2026, is the band's first since their 2025 40th anniversary tour. Newmarket comes fourteen days after the tour's other UK racecourse date, Simply Red at Chester Racecourse on Saturday 7 August 2027, which is a standalone concert with no racing that day.

How does the day at Newmarket run?

Simply Red's Newmarket date is a card of racing with the concert straight after the last race. For Saturday 21 August 2027 the racecourse's event page lists gates at 11:33am and the concert from about 6pm to 8:45pm, and it marks every timing as subject to change:

• Gates open: 11:33am
• First race: 1:33pm
• Last race: 5:35pm
• Concert: about 6pm to 8:45pm

When the racing ends, the gates between the three enclosures open in stages, and most guests move into the Premier Enclosure to stand and watch the concert. The public enclosures listed for the day are the Garden Enclosure, Grandstand & Paddock, the Premier Enclosure and the Champions Lawn.

Where can hospitality guests watch the concert?

Only one area at Newmarket is sold for its view of the stage on Simply Red's night: the Prime Viewing Platform, raised and about 40 metres away, directly opposite the stage. The stage itself stands in the Premier Enclosure between Stands 2 and 3, with a standing-only concert area and no reserved seating in front of it.

• Prime Viewing Platform: raised, "approx. 40 m from the stage (directly opposite the stage)". It is an upgrade, not an admission ticket, so guests also need a race-and-concert ticket.
• Champions Lawn: an upgrade on a Premier Enclosure ticket. The course calls concert viewing from the lawn "limited", with a large screen opposite, and guests may leave to join the Premier Enclosure.
• Trackside Pavilions: private pavilions beside the July Course. The course says guests can "enjoy one of our popular music nights from the comfort of your pavilions own exclusive decking area". It does not say the stage is visible from the decking.
• Private Boxes: these are on the Rowley Mile, on the fourth floor of the Millennium Grandstand, not on the July Course where Simply Red play.

Who else plays Newmarket Nights in 2027?

Two acts are listed for Newmarket Nights 2027 so far, both playing after a card of racing on the July Course at Newmarket Racecourse: Olly Murs on Friday 25 June 2027, and Simply Red on Saturday 21 August 2027. The Olly Murs night follows evening racing, with the concert listed at about 9pm to 10:30pm, so it runs later than Simply Red's date. The 2026 season on the July Course included Five, Madness, Jessie J and Craig David TS5.

Can under-18s go to Newmarket Nights?

Under-18s can go to Simply Red at Newmarket on 21 August 2027 at the booking party's discretion, although the course's live music FAQ recommends that its music nights in general are not suitable for them. Each under-18 needs a valid full-price ticket, every three need one responsible adult aged 21 or over, and children aged 15 and under must stay with that adult, while 16- and 17-year-olds may move around on their own.

What happens if it rains at Newmarket?

Newmarket Racecourse does not allow umbrellas during the concert at its music nights, although they are allowed during the racing. Most areas of the July Course, including the stage viewing, are open to the elements. The course's live music FAQ points visitors to its raceday style guidance for what to wear, which asks them to come "dressed to feel your best".

How do you get to the July Course?

Newmarket's two courses have different postcodes, and Simply Red play the July Course, CB8 0XE, rather than the Rowley Mile, CB8 0TF. Rail travellers use Newmarket station, the July Course's stop, where a free shuttle bus begins running two hours before the first race; it also collects from the High Street.

After the last race the shuttle runs again until the venue is clear, and subsidised return coaches to Cambridge station, Royston station, Bury St Edmunds, Ely and Soham leave 30 minutes after the concert finishes, from outside Gate 2.

Car parking is free. When a music night sells out, the July Course "welcomes up to 22,000 customers per event", and the course asks drivers to allow up to two hours to leave the car parks afterwards. Spaces on the accessible viewing platforms must be pre-booked for music events, as capacity on them is limited.

Last updated: 29 September 2026