Photo: Redmax Speed Shop / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT 2027 — dates, schedule and the August racing explained
Photo: Redmax Speed Shop / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Last checked
Classic TT 2027: 22 August–3 September (provisional). Manx GP 2027 dates and schedule: not announced yet (October 2026). What ran in 2026 and where to watch.
On the map
- Grandstand and paddock — Start and finish on Glencrutchery Road, Douglas. Best place to see the classic bikes up close
- Glen Helen — Banks above the left sweep towards Sarah's Cottage. Arrive before the roads close
- Ballaugh Bridge — Humpback bridge where the bikes take off. Much easier to get a spot than at TT
- Parliament Square, Ramsey — Hard braking, food on both sides and a footbridge to switch sides
- Creg-ny-Baa — The pub on the corner coming off the Mountain
The Classic TT 2027 is provisionally Sunday 22 August to Friday 3 September 2027. The Manx Grand Prix 2027 dates and schedule hadn’t been announced when we checked in October 2026. Every August the Mountain Course closes again for a second fortnight of racing, shared by these two events: the Manx Grand Prix, for amateurs and newcomers, and the Classic TT, for historic bikes. This page explains what each one is, what ran in 2026, and why August might suit you better than the TT. The exact dates also sit on our TT schedule page, alongside the other road races such as the Southern 100. Everything else happening that month is on what’s on.
Manx GP and Classic TT 2027 dates
| Event | 2027 dates | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Classic TT | Sun 22 August – Fri 3 September | Provisional |
| Manx Grand Prix | Not announced | Expected in the same fortnight |
Classic TT 2027
The TT organisers list the Classic TT 2027 as Sunday 22 August to Friday 3 September 2027, marked provisional (iomttraces.com (opens in a new tab)). No 2027 race-by-race schedule had been published when we checked on 17 October 2026. The 2026 schedule below shows how the races usually fall.
Manx Grand Prix 2027
The Manx Grand Prix’s 2027 dates and schedule hadn’t been announced when we checked in October 2026. Its own schedule page (opens in a new tab) still showed 2026. The meeting is going ahead: the club took newcomer applications for 2027 until 12 October 2026 (Manx Radio (opens in a new tab)), and on 23 September it published (opens in a new tab) its 2027 eligibility rules for the Supertwin and Sportbike classes.
The two have shared the late-August fortnight for years, so assume they will again, but don’t book a single race day until both schedules are out. We’ll add them here, and on our schedule page, when they’re published.
Manx Grand Prix, Classic TT or Festival of Motorcycling?
All three names are in use, which confuses everyone.
- The Manx Grand Prix (MGP) is the older event. It’s run by the Manx Motor Cycle Club, and its website calls it “where the TT journey begins” (opens in a new tab). It’s for amateur riders and riders new to the Mountain Course, and many TT riders started here.
- The Classic TT is for historic racing machines, and it’s run by the TT organisers from iomttraces.com (opens in a new tab). It began in 2013 as part of the August programme.
- The Festival of Motorcycling was the umbrella name when the two were marketed together. You’ll still hear it, but the two events now promote themselves separately.
In practice, they share the fortnight. In 2026 the Manx Grand Prix ran from Sunday 16 to Monday 24 August, and the Classic TT shared course time with it, with contingency days running on to 28 August (Classic TT schedule (opens in a new tab)).
The 2026 schedule: what 2027 will look like
This is the 2026 race programme from the Manx Grand Prix schedule (opens in a new tab), checked in September 2026. Until the 2027 schedule is out, it’s the best guide to the dates and times.
| Day | Races | Laps |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 16 – Fri 21 Aug | Practice and qualifying, mostly 6pm evening sessions | — |
| Sat 22 Aug | Sportbike MGP; Supersport MGP; Historic Junior Classic TT | 3; 4; 2 |
| Sun 23 Aug | Formula One Classic TT; Lightweight and Ultra Lightweight Classic TT | 3; 3 |
| Mon 24 Aug | Junior MGP; Historic Senior Classic TT; Senior MGP; Junior 600 Classic TT (evening) | 3; 3; 4; 2 |
| Tue 25 Aug | Senior Classic TT; TT Rewind and Classic Sidecar parade; John McGuinness parade | 4; 1; 1 |
| Thu 27 Aug | Classic TT contingency day | — |
The weather took out Monday 17 August’s qualifying, which is normal for the Mountain in August. Johnny Stewart won both the Junior and Senior Manx Grand Prix (Road Racing News (opens in a new tab)). In the Classic TT, Michael Dunlop won the Senior Classic TT, his third win of the week, and Rob Hodson won the first Junior 600 Classic TT (iomttraces.com (opens in a new tab)).
The parades are part of the appeal. In 2026 the TT Rewind lap looked back 30 years to the 1996 TT, with riders from that era such as Nick Jefferies back on the course.
How it differs from the TT
The crowds. TT fills the island. In August it’s busy, not overwhelmed. You can find a bank at most corners without getting there at dawn, and Douglas feels like a town again in the evenings.
Ferries and beds. TT sailings are booked a year ahead, with deposits (see our TT ferry guide). August is the school holidays, so it’s not quiet, but you don’t need a year’s notice. Check ferry fares and bike fares early anyway, and book beds (see where to stay) as soon as the race dates are confirmed. If you just want to ride the roads, September is quieter still.
The racing. The Manx Grand Prix is amateurs and newcomers on modern bikes. They’re quick, but they’re not Peter Hickman quick. The Classic TT brings older bikes with a very different sound, some big names in the historic classes, and the parades. If you want to see the fastest riders in the world, it has to be TT.
The feel. It’s a race meeting more than a festival. There’s less going on around the racing, which some people will miss and others will prefer.
Where to watch
Everything in our where to watch the TT guide applies: same course, same corners, same rule that you’re stuck where you are until the roads reopen. Three changes for August:
- You’ll have more room. Bray Hill, Ballaugh Bridge and Creg-ny-Baa are far easier to get into than in June.
- The Grandstand and paddock on Glencrutchery Road are the heart of both events, and the easiest place to see the old bikes up close between sessions.
- Check the closures for each day. In 2026 practice evenings closed the course from 6pm to no later than 9pm, and race days from 9.30am. Some race days had a break in the afternoon and a second closure in the evening. They’re all on the MGP schedule page (opens in a new tab), which also lets you subscribe to the schedule in your own calendar.
We couldn’t find grandstand prices for the August races when we checked in October 2026. The official channels are the TT Box Office and the two event websites.
Following it from home
Both events publish live timing and news on their own sites, and the Manx Grand Prix site had a livestream section for 2026. The MGP also runs a WhatsApp channel with race control updates, which is handy on the day when the schedule slips.
— The Guru
Common questions
When are the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT in 2027?
The Classic TT is provisionally Sunday 22 August to Friday 3 September 2027. The Manx Grand Prix hadn't announced its 2027 dates or schedule in October 2026; it has shared the Classic TT's late-August fortnight for years, so expect it in the same window.
What's the difference between the Manx Grand Prix and the Classic TT?
The Manx Grand Prix is a race meeting for amateur riders and Mountain Course newcomers on modern bikes, run by the Manx Motor Cycle Club. The Classic TT is for historic racing machines and is run by the TT organisers. They share the same fortnight and the same course, and in 2026 some days mixed both.
Is it still called the Festival of Motorcycling?
Not officially. The name was used when the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT were marketed together from 2013. Today they're promoted as two events with their own websites, although they still share the late-August fortnight and many people still use the old name.
Is the Manx Grand Prix a good alternative to the TT?
For a lot of people, yes. It's the same course and the same closed-road racing, but with far fewer visitors, easier ferries and beds, and a slower pace. What you give up is the headline riders and the speed of the TT's superbikes.
Do the roads close for the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT?
Yes. The whole Mountain Course closes by law for every practice and race session. In 2026, evening qualifying closures ran from 6pm to no later than 9pm, and race days started at 9.30am. The organisers publish the exact times on the Manx Grand Prix schedule page.