2026 Traverse City Horse Shows season opens June 3 with summer events

Horse Shows season will bring 13 weeks of international competition, summer tourism and on-site events back to Flintfields Horse Park on June 3, giving the Grand Traverse County economy another long stretch of activity before peak vacation season even fully settles in.

The 2026 calendar runs through Sept. 20 and is divided into the Traverse City Spring Series from June 3-28, the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival from July 1-Aug. 9, and the Tournament of Champions from Sept. 2-20. The season carries more than $7 million in prize money and will feature FEI Nations Cup competition on July 23, the FEI North American Youth Championships from July 28-Aug. 2, Major League Show Jumping from Sept. 9-13, and the American Gold Cup from Sept. 16-20, when riders will chase the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier.

For Traverse City and nearby Williamsburg, the schedule matters well beyond the grandstands. Flintfields Horse Park sits on more than 130 acres about 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City, and the event has grown into a recurring summer draw that extends the county’s visitor economy from early June into late September. That long run helps local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and retail businesses capture spending across several different travel windows, not just a single weekend.

The park’s setup is built for that scale. Venue materials describe six permanent barns, upgraded footing, dedicated jog paths, high-speed fiber, expanded restrooms, permanent judge boxes, spectator pavilions and an on-site campground. Those additions point to a facility designed to handle elite competition and a larger stream of visitors, riders and support teams moving through the corridor all summer.

Locals also have more ways to take part than a standard ticketed sports event. The public can visit Flintfields Horse Park Wednesday through Sunday during the season, with free admission on non-ticketed days. Weekend programming includes Saturday Grand Prix events, Après Prix gatherings with music and food, Hilltop Market Sundays, chef-led dining experiences and hospitality and VIP options. A 2026 Charity Ticket Program will direct 100% of general admission ticket sales from selected weeks to participating Northern Michigan nonprofits, adding a local giving component to the season’s business case.

The horse shows have been building that identity for years. In 2024, the season was marked as the 10th annual Traverse City Horse Shows, underscoring how the event has moved from a niche competition into one of Grand Traverse County’s signature summer fixtures. This year’s schedule keeps that trajectory going, with international sport, visitor traffic and community fundraising all concentrated at one of northern Michigan’s most visible venues.