British Open darts, Bridlington Spa: free Friday, £10 a day

Bridlington Spa gets its biggest sporting weekend of the year next month. The British Open and British Classic darts championships run from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September, drawing around 1,000 competitors from across the UK and Europe.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council confirmed the return on 19 August. Entry is free on the Friday, then £10 a day on the Saturday and Sunday. Under-12s go free all weekend, and weekend passes are available on request. (East Riding of Yorkshire Council, British Open Darts to return to Bridlington Spa in September)

Tickets are on sale at the Spa box office on 01262 678258 and online at bridspa.com.

What is actually at stake

This is not an exhibition. The British Open is a Category S, or Silver, ranking event on the World Darts Federation calendar, with a total prize pool of £5,040. The champion takes £1,500 and the runner-up £700. The final is played over the best of nine legs, with earlier rounds through the last 32 over the best of seven. (World Darts Federation, British Open 2026)

Ranking points matter here because they feed qualification towards the 2026 World Championships at Lakeside in December. The organiser is the Tri Nations Darts Association, which runs entry through DartConnect and describes the event as the longest-running championship in darts, first staged in 1973. (Tri Nations Darts Association)

The three days

Friday 18 September opens with the England International Men’s Trial in the afternoon, followed by the British Open Pairs in the evening. This is the free day, so it is the cheap way in for anyone curious.

Saturday 19 September is the busiest. It carries the British Classic Men’s and Ladies, the British Open Youth and the World Para Darts British Open.

Sunday 20 September is finals day: the British Open Men’s and Ladies, then the grand finals, broadcast live worldwide.

Councillor Nick Coultish said: “We are delighted that this fantastic event is returning to Bridlington and we look forward to welcoming some of the best darts players in the country.”

What it means for you

A thousand players plus their supporters is a serious weekend for the town, and it lands in the week the resort’s summer season starts winding down. Expect the Spa, the seafront cafes and the hotels along South Marine Drive to be busy from the Friday afternoon.

Practical points if you are going:

• Book the Saturday and Sunday ahead. Both are £10 on the door or online, and the Spa sells weekend passes on request rather than as a standard listing.
• Take children. Under-12s are free on every day, and the Youth event on the Saturday is the one to watch with them.
• Parking. Bridlington Park and Ride at South Cliff, YO15 3QN, is still on its full timetable until 20 September, at £6.50 per vehicle for up to five people. That covers the Friday and Saturday, and the last day of full service is the Sunday of the finals.

Other things happening around the coast are on our things to do in East Yorkshire page.

Sources

• East Riding of Yorkshire Council, British Open Darts to return to Bridlington Spa in September, 19 August 2026.
• World Darts Federation, British Open 2026, for the ranking category, prize pool and match formats.
• Tri Nations Darts Association, the organiser.
• Bridlington Spa, what’s on, box office 01262 678258.
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Bridlington park and ride.