At a glance
- Who it’s for
- Families, groups of friends and colleagues in Sydney’s inner west and Canterbury-Bankstown who want a free Friday night out with food stalls and live racing
- What to do now
- Pick a Friday from the four listed below and decide how you will arrive: Metro to Canterbury, T2 train and bus via Ashfield, or the free car park off King Street
- Dates
- Friday 13 November (opening night), 27 November, 11 December and 18 December 2026
- Opening night times
- Gates 5pm, first race 6pm, last race 9:30pm
- Cost
- Free general admission and free infield parking for up to 2,000 vehicles, according to the Australian Turf Club
- Last checked
- Sunday 1 November 2026 (AEDT), against the Australian Turf Club’s Canterbury Park pages
- Not yet confirmed
- Gate and race times for the 27 November, 11 December and 18 December meetings, the themed nights and the entertainment line-up for this season
Kia Friday Night Racing returns to Canterbury Park on Friday 13 November 2026, and general admission is free, as is parking in the infield car park off King Street. The Australian Turf Club lists four Friday meetings this season: 13 November, 27 November, 11 December and 18 December. Gates on opening night open at 5pm, the first race is at 6pm and the last race is at 9:30pm.
Canterbury Park is inside the City of Canterbury Bankstown area, about 12 kilometres from the Sydney CBD according to the Australian Turf Club. This guide uses the club’s own pages, which were read on Sunday 1 November 2026, and says plainly where the club has not yet published something. All times are Sydney time (daylight saving).
When are the Friday night race meetings in 2026?
| Date | Meeting | Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 13 November 2026 | Kia Friday Night Racing Opening Night | Free |
| Friday 27 November 2026 | Kia Friday Night Racing | Free |
| Friday 11 December 2026 | Kia Friday Night Racing | Free |
| Friday 18 December 2026 | Kia Friday Night Racing | Free |
The club’s race night page for 13 November gives gates at 5pm for both the public and members, a first race at 6pm and a last race at 9:30pm. The club’s Friday Night Racing page lists the other three dates, but this guide did not find gate and race times for them, so do not assume they match opening night. The club also lists a midweek meeting on Wednesday 23 December, which is a separate event and not part of the Friday series.
One note on times: the Canterbury Bankstown tourism site lists the opening night as “6-9pm”. That matches the first race and roughly the last race, but the club’s gates open an hour earlier and its last race is at 9:30pm. If you want the food stalls and the entertainment before the racing, plan on arriving from 5pm.
Is it really free to get in?
Yes, for general admission. The club’s pages mark each of the four Friday meetings “Free entry”, and its opening night page describes “free General Admission entry and complimentary parking”. Free does not cover everything. Food, drinks and anything you buy from the stalls are paid for on the night, and the club sells premium dining packages separately.
| Option | Price listed by the club | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | Free | Free entry to all four Friday meetings |
| Infield car park | Free | Up to 2,000 vehicles, entered via King Street |
| Guineas Restaurant | $125 per person | Minimum 2 people; reserved seating on Level 2 |
| Open Terraces | $175 per person | Minimum 10 people |
Prices for the dining packages are as listed on the 13 November race night page. To enquire about them the club gives the number 1300 729 668.
What is there to do on a Friday night at Canterbury Park?
The club describes the series as racing under lights with live music, food stalls, pop-up bars and free family entertainment. The tourism site adds that the Cambridge Food Markets are part of the night and that the venue is wheelchair accessible.
The club has not yet published this season’s detailed program. It says Kia Friday Night Racing will return “with a refreshed program of entertainment, themed nights and Summer racing under the stars”. To give you a sense of what a normal night looks like, here is what the club reported for the 2025/26 season. These are last season’s features and are not a promise for this one.
- Free general admission and up to 30 food stalls from Sydney’s Cambridge Markets on every race night
- Free kids’ entertainment, including carnival rides, jumping castles and pony rides
- Live music and pop-up bars, plus a trackside beer garden called The Canterbury Social
- The Quayclean Night Rider Series, in which 12 jockeys raced for prizemoney donated to 12 charities
- Themed meetings such as Festive Night, New Year’s Day and Lunar New Year
- Reserved Kia VIP parking for the first 10 Kia drivers who pre-registered before each race night
Whether any of these return in 2026 is up to the club. Check the Friday Night Racing page before you go for the themed nights.
How do I get to Canterbury Park by public transport?
The Australian Turf Club gives two ways to reach the course by train and bus.
| Option | Route | Walk at the end |
|---|---|---|
| A | M1 Metro line to Canterbury Station | 13 minutes to the racecourse |
| B | T2 train line to Ashfield Station, then the 491 bus from Brown Street to the King Street at Frederick Street stop | 6 minutes to the racecourse |
Option A uses the Southwest Metro. The NSW Government and Sydney Metro said the Southwest Metro began carrying passengers at 4:31am on Friday 30 October 2026, with Canterbury among the stations on the line. If you are coming from Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Belmore or Campsie, the government’s list of Metro stations has all of them on the same line as Canterbury, so there is no change of train.
Option B suits people coming from the inner west on the T2 line. The club does not say how often the 491 runs, and this guide has not checked its timetable. Use the Transport for NSW trip planner for that. The club’s page says the walk from the bus stop is six minutes, which is shorter than the 13 minutes from Canterbury Station.
Where do I park at Canterbury Park?
Free parking is in the infield, the grassed area inside the track. The club says it holds up to 2,000 vehicles and is entered from King Street, opposite Frederick Street at Gate D. That is the same address used for the 2025/26 season, but the club has not published a separate parking notice for each 2026 meeting.
Members and owners have separate parking through King Street and Princess Street. The club says members with yearly unreserved parking passes use the King Street track entrance on the grass side, and that other members’ and owners’ parking is via Princess Street on selected race meetings and the infield. If you are a general admission guest, King Street and Gate D is the entrance to use.
The club’s page does not say when the infield fills up. On a free event with a large crowd, arriving close to the 5pm gate opening is the safest way to get a space. That is general advice and not a figure from the club.
What should I wear?
The club calls it “a relaxed raceday setting” and encourages smart casual dress. A dress code applies in the Members’ Reserve, so if you are a general admission guest you are not in that area. Because the main attractions such as the stalls, rides and trackside views are outdoors on a summer evening, comfortable shoes are a sensible choice, though that is our suggestion and not the club’s.
What is still not confirmed?
- Gates and race times for 27 November, 11 December and 18 December
- The themed nights and entertainment line-up for the 2026 season
- Whether the Cambridge Food Markets, kids’ rides and The Canterbury Social return in the same form as last season
- Whether Kia drivers can again pre-register for reserved parking
This guide will be updated if the club publishes these details.
What should I know before I go?
- Four free Friday meetings: 13 November, 27 November, 11 December and 18 December 2026
- Opening night: gates 5pm, first race 6pm, last race 9:30pm
- Free general admission and free infield parking via King Street, Gate D, opposite Frederick Street
- Metro to Canterbury Station is a 13-minute walk; the T2 and 491 bus route is a 6-minute walk from the bus stop
- Smart casual dress is encouraged; a dress code applies in the Members’ Reserve
- Premium dining: Guineas Restaurant $125 per person (minimum 2) and Open Terraces $175 per person (minimum 10), enquiries on 1300 729 668
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the Australian Turf Club or Kia.
Sources
- Australian Turf Club: Kia Friday Night Racing Opening Night, 13 November 2026, read 1 November 2026
- Australian Turf Club: Kia Friday Night Racing, read 1 November 2026
- Australian Turf Club: Travel & Parking at Canterbury Park, read 1 November 2026
- Australian Turf Club: Canterbury Park Racecourse, read 1 November 2026
- Where Interesting Happens (Canterbury Bankstown): Kia Friday Night Racing 2026
- NSW Government: Southwest Metro to open Friday 30 October 2026, 22 October 2026