Melbourne Cup Carnival
The Melbourne Cup Carnival is part of the Flemington Carnival, four high profile race days conducted every year by the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) from late October to early November at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.
The Flemington Carnival is a part of the Victoria Spring Racing Carnival, a series of high profile horse racing events held annually between October and November at five different racecourses across the state of Victoria in Australia. VRC introduced the Spring Racing Carnival format way back in 1869.
The highlight of the Victoria Spring Racing Carnival and the Melbourne Cup Carnival is of course, the Melbourne Cup, held on the very first Tuesday of November at around 3pm.
The Melbourne Cup was first run on a Tuesday in 1875. Two years later, in 1877, the first Tuesday of November was declared a public holiday in Victoria in 1877.
Ten races are held during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. And usually, the seventh race is the Melbourne Cup.
Apart from the races, another highlight of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the spectators! It is often said that the intense action on the track is equally matched by the high fashion in the stands.
The competition for the best dressed spectator called "Fashions on the Field" was started in 1962. It features categories for Women's Racewear, Men's Racewear, and the invitation-only Design Award and Millinery Award. So it's not unlikely to see spectators wearing frocks, suits and hats.
Winners receive lavish prizes and get a chance to compete in Country Racing Victoria's overall Country Best Dressed Racegoer Heat during the Spring Racing Carnival.
Flowers, especially roses are also an important part of the carnival. Flemington racecourse has around 12,000 roses within its large expanse. Over 200 varieties of the fragrant flower are nurtured by a team of up to 12 gardeners.
The official flower of the Melbourne Cup is the Yellow Rose.