If you live too far away to experience the thrill of the carnival atmosphere in person, the next best thing is to host a Boat Race watch party at your home or club. Here are our top tips for hosting a party and getting yourself #BoatRaceReady
- Invite your guests! ✉️ The first race starts at 4pm on 26th March 2023 so you’ll want to invite them over a bit earlier – the build up on BBC1 is always an excellent way to hear the pre-race gossip!
- A way to watch the race. 📺 Set up a viewing area with a big screen or TV, comfortable seating and if there’s space, a table for food and refreshments! The race is broadcast live on both BBC1 and YouTube. Full list of broadcasters can be found here
- An amazing selection of drinks and snacks!🥂 Whether it’s popcorn, potato salad or a giant pasta bake you’ll need to keep your guests fed and more importantly give them something to wash it down with. Why not pop the cork on a bottle of Chapel Down sparkling wine and celebrate like a boat race champion!?
- Decorations. 🎉 Bring the carnival atmosphere from the riverbank into your home and decorate your party with flags, balloons, and bunting (dark blue for Oxford and light blue for Cambridge).
- Set your dress code. 👗 Encourage guests to dress up in club colours or rowing themed attire, such as blazers, caps, or scarves.
- Play some games.🏆 Create a friendly and competitive atmosphere by setting up a prediction game or sweepstake for the race. One of the most popular ways to do this is to ask all your guests to predict what they think the winning time will be (the course record for the men’s race is 16 minutes and 19 seconds and for the women’s race it’s 18 minutes and 22 seconds).
- Become armchair experts! 🤓Keep your guests engaged and informed by providing some background information on the Boat Race, its history, and the participating teams. The BBC coverage always delivers a world class introduction to the race, or you can brush up on some amazing boat race facts and trivia here.
- Embrace the elements. 🌬 Consider hosting some of your party outdoors (it’s an outdoor sport after all) but definitely make sure to have a backup plan in case of bad weather, we don’t want your party sinking!
- Share your tips. 👍 Tell us how you’re preparing to watch the race using the #BoatRaceReady hashtag, and encourage your guests to share their photos and experiences too.
- Have fun and enjoy the day with your guests! 😊
If you’re hosting a Boat Race Watch Party this year, we want to hear your tips and advice for hosting a party worthy of champions.
Share photos of your perfect preparations using #BoatRaceReady – we’d love to see them!