The Grand National
What: A three-day horse racing carnival featuring the Grand National (on the final day), the world’s most famous steeplechase. The poor horses and their jockeys race four miles and (hopefully) clear 30 big jumps.
When: April 2-4
Where: Aintree Racecourse, 15 minutes from the centre of Liverpool.
Why: Who knows why betting on tiny men whipping snorting equines became big business, but the Grand National has been going since the 1830s.
Do it because: It’s one of the UK’s biggest sporting and social events of the year – even non-punters get in on the horsey action on Grand National Day. You’ll see plenty of spills when the horses fail to clear the jumps (animal rights activists loathe the race).
How much: From £17.
See aintree.co.uk