It’s Virginia in May and that means Gold Cup

Tailgating is an event at the Virginia Gold Cup. (草莓传媒/Kathy Stewart) — Tailgating is an event at the Virginia Gold Cup, but this year's steeplechase race will likely be run without spectators, during the coronavirus crisis. (草莓传媒/Kathy Stewart)

Naketah Brown from capitol hill first time at virginia gold cup and was going to enter the annual hat contest. (草莓传媒/Kathy Stewart) — Naketah Brown from Capitol Hill first time at Virginia Gold Cup and was going to enter the annual hat contest. (草莓传媒/Kathy Stewart)

Jack Russell Terrier named Sally wins the terrier race. (草莓传媒/Kathy Stewart)

Fans await the races at the 2015 Gold Cup races in Virginia Saturday. (草莓传媒/Kathy Stewart)

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WASHINGTON —聽This is the first Saturday in May, and that means it is Virginia Gold Cup time.

This is the 90^th anniversary for聽the races, and officials say about 50,000 spectators were expected to attend.

Amelia Holman 聽from Herndon has been to the Virginia Gold Cup at Great Meadow before, but she had never hosted a tailgating party there.聽 She was so excited that she arrived about 7 a.m., three hours early, to get things set up.

Her theme, she says, is “50 shades of pink. 聽A lot of my guests are wearing pink.鈥� 聽Although she grew up riding horses, and enjoys that part of the Gold Cup, she also likes 聽the fact that it鈥檚 a huge social event.

鈥淚 have a lot of friends who鈥檝e never been (here) before,” said Holman. “So I think everything will just be exciting for them.鈥�

When most people think of tailgating, they think football.聽 But this is in a league all its own.

Julie Banner is the wife of the Rob Banner, the president of Great Meadow Foundation.聽 The Virginia Gold Cup moved to Great Meadow, The Plains, Virginia in 1982.聽聽 She describes the tailgating that goes on at the Gold Cup as 鈥渁n amazing display of food.鈥�

It’s upscale — forget the beer, there鈥檚 champagne flowing here. 聽鈥淎bsolutely, it鈥檚 upscale. It鈥檚 a great time for people to get out and see friends, get dressed-up, wear their hat, wear their nice clothes,鈥� Banner added.

Paul Fogg from Alexandria says the Gold Cup is a, 鈥渢o see and be seen event.鈥�

Katherine Bond comes twice a year from New York City to the Virginia Gold Cup and the International Gold Cup, which is held in the fall.聽 She anticipates the Jack Russell Terrier races that are held at the Gold Cup.聽鈥淲e love seeing these little puppies run, it鈥檚 really cute.鈥�

Mary Mushneo from Exton, Pennsylvania, knows a thing or two about the Jack Russell races, especially since her little Kegan took second place on Saturday at the Gold Cup.

鈥淧eople love watching it,” she said. “It鈥檚 funny some of the dogs runs off into the crowd and say hello.聽 And those are typically the ones that are more of the crowd favorite.鈥�