Germantown Charity Horse Show: dates, tickets, parking

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Dates, tickets, parking and the schedule come from the Germantown Charity Horse Show’s website. This page is updated each year at the same address.

The Germantown Charity Horse Show returns Tuesday, June 8, through Saturday, June 12, 2027, according to the show’s home page. It is held at the show grounds at 7745 Poplar Pike, around the Sonny Foster Arena, and the show calls itself one of the oldest and largest multi-breed horse shows in the nation. Locals call it “The Charity.”

Know before you go

• 2027 dates: Tuesday, June 8, to Saturday, June 12
• Where: show grounds, 7745 Poplar Pike; tickets at Founders Pavilion
• Tickets (2026 prices): Tuesday free; Wednesday to Saturday evenings $6 in advance, $8 at the door; children 3 and under free; daytime classes free
• Parking: free, with free shuttles from Germantown High School and Germantown Presbyterian Church
• Questions: 901-754-0009, CharityHorseShow@GCHS.org
• Official site: gchs.org

When it is

The show runs five days each June, Tuesday through Saturday. The 2027 show is June 8-12. The detailed 2027 daily schedule was not posted by Oct. 17, 2026; the 2026 pattern below is the best guide until it is.

In 2026 the show ran Tuesday, June 2, through Saturday, June 6. The 2026 overview and schedule said daily competition started at 7:30 a.m. and ended around 10 p.m. or when the last class finished, running later on Friday and Saturday. The show’s FAQ says hunter classes start at 7:30 a.m., jumper classes around 9 a.m., and the day classes usually end between 2:30 and 4 p.m. The evening jumper class starts between 4:30 and 5 p.m., and the evening Breed Show follows between 6 and 7 p.m.

Saturday is the big night. In 2026 the opening ceremonies began about 4 p.m. and the $25,000 Grand Prix of Germantown, sponsored by the City of Germantown, followed at about 5 p.m. The show advises arriving by 3:30 or 4 p.m. for the best seats.

Tickets and box seats

These are the 2026 ticket terms; 2027 prices had not been posted by Oct. 17, 2026.

• One ticket admits you to any one evening. Ticket booths opened at 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday.
• Tickets are nonrefundable but good on any evening of that year’s show, and you can pass them to a friend.
• Advance tickets went on sale online and, from May 1, at Saddles N’ Such, 2135 S. Germantown Road, and Germantown Hardware, 2083 S. Germantown Road.
• Box seats ring the bottom two levels of the Sonny Foster Arena and are held for the whole week. In 2026 a box was $300, offered first to last year’s holders, with a waiting list for new buyers, according to the box seat page. Each box comes with eight chairs.

Parking and getting there

The show’s FAQ lists the parking:

• Free parking in the grass in front of the arena, on surrounding streets, at Germantown High School and at Germantown Presbyterian Church.
• Free shuttles: open-air “People Movers” run between the high school and church lots and Founders Pavilion. In 2026 they started at 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and at noon Saturday.
• Accessible parking is in the lot directly in front of Founders Pavilion, where the ticket office is. Germantown police direct traffic during the show and point drivers to the nearest open accessible spaces.

What to see

The 2026 schedule shows the shape of the week:

• Tuesday: the Versatility Challenge for hunter jumpers, the Rachael Smith Memorial Costume Class for children and ponies, and the evening Breed Show.
• Wednesday: the $15,000 Welcome Stake jumper class and the Lead Line class for young riders.
• Thursday: Gambler’s Choice jumping, speed racking and carriage driving.
• Friday: the hunter classics, carriage scurry races and the Box Seat Decorating Contest.
• Saturday: opening ceremonies, the Grand Prix, the Big Hats and Bow Ties contest judged in the crowd, and a stick horse race for children 8 and under ($5 to enter, sign up at the Princess Tent).

Breeds across the week include Tennessee Walking Horses, American Saddlebreds, Paso Finos and Gypsy Vanners. The Germantown Commissary serves barbecue at the Tanner Pavilion, and an auction tent and Charity’s General Store sell souvenirs.

What to know before you go

From the show’s FAQ:

• Food: coolers and outside food are allowed.
• Seats: general admission is open seating on the bleachers or the grass; bring a chair for the grassy areas above the stadium seats.
• Dogs: allowed on a leash at all times. Unleashed dogs may be impounded. The show asks you to leave a dog at home if it may bark at or chase horses.
• Not allowed: fireworks, portable speakers, radios without headphones, open flames and slingshots. The arena and park are a gun-free zone.
• Rain: the show can go on in light rain. Heavy rain or lightning clears the ring until it is safe. Weather changes are posted on the show’s Facebook page.
• Dress: casual; hats, sunglasses and sunscreen for daytime.

About the show

The show’s history traces it to the Oak Grove Saddle Club, formed in 1946. The first Germantown Horse Show was held in 1947 at a ring at what is now 7930 Poplar Pike, and in 1948 the Oak Grove Hunt Club and the Germantown Civic Club staged the show together. It is a U.S. Equestrian Federation Heritage Competition. An economic impact study of the 2023 show put its impact at about $4 million. Proceeds go to local charities focused on education, children and families.

The same grounds host the Germantown Festival each September. For more on the month, see things to do in Germantown this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Germantown Charity Horse Show 2027?

Tuesday, June 8, through Saturday, June 12, 2027, at the show grounds at 7745 Poplar Pike, according to the show’s website. The 2026 show ran June 2-6.

How much are tickets to the Germantown Charity Horse Show?

In 2026 Tuesday was free and Wednesday to Saturday evenings were $6 in advance or $8 at the door, with children 3 and under free. Daytime classes were free. 2027 prices were not posted by Oct. 17, 2026.

Where do you park for the Germantown Charity Horse Show?

Parking is free in the grass in front of the arena, on nearby streets, at Germantown High School and at Germantown Presbyterian Church, with free shuttles from the school and church lots to Founders Pavilion.

Can I bring my dog or a cooler to the Germantown horse show?

Yes to both. Coolers and outside food are allowed. Dogs must stay on a leash at all times, and the show asks owners to leave dogs at home if they may bark at or chase horses.

What time is the Grand Prix of Germantown?

In 2026 the opening ceremonies began about 4 p.m. on the final Saturday and the $25,000 Grand Prix of Germantown followed at about 5 p.m. The show advises arriving by 3:30 or 4 p.m. for a good seat.