Plan your trip

This year’s Innovation Festival 2023 will be held back at Newcastle Racecourse situated on the beautiful estate of High Gosforth Park, Newcastle. 

www.newcastle-racecourse.co.uk

On foot or by bike
We'd love you to come on foot or by bike and have a dedicated space on site to leave your bike (please remember to bring your bike lock!).

By Road
Using postcode: NE3 5HP or ///wink.years.fence (what3words)

Follow the brown and white tourist board signs bearing a horse and rider from the A1, A19 and main approach roads to Newcastle. For traffic updates in the nearby area, please click here.

If you fancy some company, want to save money on fuel or reduce your carbon footprint, you might find someone to share your journey through the national Liftshare network.

Electric vehicle charging points: there are no EV charging points on site at the Racecourse.

By Bus
Numbers 43 and 44 buses leave from Haymarket Bus Station in Newcastle City Centre every few minutes and arrive at a stop just outside the racecourse road entrance.

You can find out more about bus travel from other areas here.

By Taxi
LA Taxis are a local taxi firm available for any taxi bookings. We strongly advise you to book in advance for your drop off and pick up. Contact 0191 287 7777 to book or head to their website to find out more information www.lataxis.co.uk 

A taxi from Newcastle City Centre/Newcastle Central Station to the racecourse should cost approximately £10.

By Rail
Newcastle Central Station is the closest main line station approximately 15 minutes away by car or taxi.

You can check train timetables and plan your journey via:

National Rail Enquiries website or by calling 08457 48 49 50

Trainline website

By Metro
Tyne and Wear Metro is a light rail system with 60 stations serving Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. Regent Centre and Four Lane Ends Metro Stations are situated 2 miles from the racecourse.

By Air
Newcastle International Airport is situated 6 miles from the racecourse and is easily accessible. Helicopters can land at the racecourse, please contact directly for details.

Taxi: the airport's official taxi service is Arrow Taxis. Book your journey quickly and easily, online, by phone on 0191 2449966 or via email on newcastlebookings@arrowcars.co.uk.

Hire car: there are branches of car hire firms Europcar and Hertz at the airport.

Please note: NWG cannot accept any responsibility for transport arrangements.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time!

There is ample free visitor parking at Newcastle Racecourse. The car park is a few minutes’ walk to the festival entrance. Please follow the signs to the festival entrance to collect your event badge.

Accessible parking for blue badge holders is available at the Innovation Festival Entrance. Please display your Blue Badge clearly if you have one. If you are not a Blue Badge holder but require certain access needs, please speak to a car park attendant on arrival.

Grand Hotel Gosforth Park
The closest hotel to the NWG Innovation Festival is Grand at Gosforth Park.

The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the Innovation Festival site at Newcastle Racecourse, 7 miles from Newcastle Airport and a 20 minute drive from Newcastle City Centre.

The rooms include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and tea and coffeemaking equipment.

Amenities include an upscale spa, a fitness centre with an indoor pool and sauna, plus squash and tennis courts. There's a refined international restaurant and a bar serving light bites.

The hotel also offers free parking and accessible facilities and rooms throughout.

A number of rooms are available for Innovation Festival guests at the Grand Hotel at a discounted rate of £92 per room, per night single occupancy accommodation or £102.00 per room, per night - twin /double accommodation from stays between 10th – 13th July.

For stays on the 9th and 14th July there is a discounted rate of £80 per room, per night single occupancy accommodation or £90 per room, per night - twin /double accommodation.

All rates include accommodation, full English breakfast, use of the leisure facilities, guest room wi-fi and VAT at 20%

To check hotel availability, take advantage of NWGs preferable rates, and for more information about accessible rooms please contact the hotel directly:

Contact Karen Stephenson (groups760@theelitevenueselection.co.uk /

0191 236 1612)

Please note when contacting the hotel that you need to state you are attending the Innovation Festival in the subject of your e-mail.

We recommend booking your accommodation early to secure your room. Rooms will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Please note that as of 1st March 2023 the hotel operates a cashless system.

To avoid cancellation charges on room bookings please ensure that you give a minimum of 24 hours notice to the hotel if you need to cancel a booking.

Check in 4pm and check out 10am.

Other accommodation options
There are several local hotels within a short travelling distance in the Gosforth Park area . . .

Travelodge Newcastle Gosforth 

Or for other Travelodge hotels in the area click here.

Great North Hotel 

Check out our timetable for the week here.

The site opening and closing times are:

Monday, 10 July: 12:00 – 17:30

Tuesday, 11 July: 08:00 – 19.30

Wednesday, 12 July: 08:00 – 22:30

Thursday, 13 July: 08:00 – 19:30

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the welcome event on each day to accommodate check-in requirements.

Registration for the Innovation festival will be online and open from w/c 15th May. You will find the link to register on our website www.innovationfestival.org from that date.

We will have our WaterAid Team on site. You can find out more about the fantastic work they do to help ensure that everyone everywhere has access to clean water and make a donation to support them in achieving this goal.

The innovation Festival is free to join, and we ask that you bring along at least one food item to support a local community foodbank in nearby Walker. They are currently in need of:

There will be a collection point for foodbank donations at the festival entrance each day.

Alternatively, you can make a financial donation via their bankuet pages:

www.bankuet.co.uk/walkeranddistrict

www.bankuet.co.uk/give-3/walkeranddistrict-give-once

www.bankuet.co.uk/give-3/walkeranddistrict-give-monthly

Thank you for your support.

Casual. Festival vibes only, no suits allowed!

The event is held in a tented village with lots of opportunity to spend time outdoors. Don’t forget your suncream, sunglasses, wellies and umbrella to make sure you are prepared for all weather!

Complimentary food and drink is provided for NWG Innovation Festival delegates.

We provide lunch and evening catering on site so please make sure you eat a healthy and hearty breakfast before heading to the festival. The food is responsibly sourced, and/or local and freshly made. Packaging is sustainable/recyclable.

We cater for vegetarians, vegans, meat-eaters and gluten-free diets, and those with other dietary requirements. Our menu throughout the festival is nut free.

Lunch: A selection of individually boxed street food catering for a range of diets will be served from 12:00 - 13:30 each day, Monday – Thursday.

Sweet treat: Mid-afternoon sweet treats and fruit will be available from 14:45 Tuesday – Thursday.

Dinner: A selection of individually boxed street food catering for a range of diets will be served from 18:30 – 19:15 on Wednesday and a Beach BBQ will be provided from 17:15 – 19:00 on Thursday evening.

Drinks: Tea, coffee, and water will be available throughout Monday – Thursday and there will also be opportunity to buy speciality coffee and soft drinks from the coffee van on site.

There are water points available around the site to refill your bottles. Please help to protect the environment and bring your own reusable coffee cup and water bottle to the event.

A selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available to buy from the bar each evening.

Please note, Newcastle Racecourse is a cashless site.

Meet the team (Monday, 10 July)
On Monday afternoon from 15:30 you will have the opportunity to meet your team and get to know your sprint family. You can also network with other festival citizens and visit the exhibition stands, located on the ground floor of the Grandstand.

Networking (Tuesday, 11 July)
There will be a drinks reception between 17:15-19:00 located on the ground floor of the Grandstand with an opportunity to visit our exhibition stands again, listen to great external speakers, and decompress from the first full day of sprinting.

Party at the Park (Wednesday, 12 July)
On Wednesday evening Innovation Festival citizens are invited to join us for a night of celebration, fun, food and entertainment from 18:30-22:00 in the Funderdome. We will be raising funds for our good friends at WaterAid during this event.

Fond Festival Farewell (Thursday, 13 July)
Festival citizens are invited to join us to close out the Innovation Festival 2023 at our onsite pop-up pub with Aussie style BBQ from 17:15-19:00.

In front of the main festival entrance is a tarmac area which has flat level access to the main Festival Marquee Village and racecourse site.

The Marquee Village surface is artificial grass on a tarmac base. Each of the tents in the Marquee village are accessible through double doors with a small ramp. The main stage for the event has ramp access and there are tarmac paths throughout the Racecourse site.

There is a lift within the Racecourse building and all rooms on all floors have flat access. You can see the location of all accessible facilities on the accessibility map below. (Click on the map image below, to view a larger version).

Accessible parking
Accessible parking for blue badge holders is available at the Innovation Festival Entrance. Please display your Blue Badge clearly if you have one. If you are not a Blue Badge holder but require certain access needs, please speak to a car park attendant on arrival.

If you have any questions about accessible parking and access issues, please contact the Innovation Festival team at innovationfestival@nwl.co.uk

Drop-off point
Drop off is available at the Innovation Festival Entrance.

Accessible toilets
Accessible facilities are available near the Innovation Festival Entrance and there are accessible facilities available within the Racecourse building and under the Colonel Porters Stand. A Radar key is required to access the facilities underneath the stand and can be requested from our information point.

The location of the accessible facilities, lifts and ramps can be seen on the accessibility map above.

Wheelchairs
NWG’ s Innovation Festival welcomes all types of mobility vehicles. Please provide your contact details in the site access requirements section on the registration form and one of our dedicated Innovation Festival team members will contact you to confidentially discuss how we can support you at the Innovation Festival. Alternatively, you can contact the team at innovationfestival@nwl.co.uk

People with visual impairments
If you have visual impairment requirements please provide your contact details in the site access requirements section on the registration form and one of our dedicated Innovation Festival team members will contact you to confidentially discuss how we can support you at the Innovation Festival. Alternatively, you can contact the team at innovationfestival@nwl.co.uk

Assistance dogs at NWG’s Innovation Festival
Assistance dogs are welcome at NWG’ s Innovation Festival. Please let us know in advance at innovationfestival@nwl.co.uk if you are bringing an assistance dog to the event.

NOTE: We are unable to accommodate any other animals at this event.

Under 18s

We welcome young people over the age of 16 to register and take part in our Sprint challenges. There must be an accompanying adult attending the event for the duration of their visit.

We will contact any registered under 18s prior to visiting to complete work experience and photo consent forms.

Pets
We are unable to accommodate any pets at this event.

Assistance dogs are welcome at NWG’ s Innovation Festival. Please let us know in advance at innovationfestival@nwl.co.uk if you are bringing an assistance dog to the event.