Country shows are a great way to soak up the local atmosphere, see top quality livestock and participate in all sorts of activities, while motor shows allow visitors to indulge their interest.
Amy Moore provides a list of some of the most popular agricultural shows and motor events within the UK.
HAMPSHIRE
Simply Ford at Beaulieu.
May 1, 2016
Simply Ford will see more than 1,000 Ford vehicles displayed within the grounds of the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.
The show brings a variety of different models together, including the latest Mondeos, Fiestas and Transits, along with classic models such as the Cortina, Escort, Zodiac and Anglia.
Admission to the show also includes access to the National Motor Museum, with its new Driving Change display that explores motoring innovations, technology and safety throughout history.
For groups, Beaulieu offers free coach parking, a dedicated group admission desk, a drivers’ restroom, plus free admission and vouchers for the coach driver. For more information visit www.beaulieu.co.uk/groups.
#Simply Ford is part of Beaulieu’s 2016 line-up of Simply rallies, which also includes Simply Japanese, Simply Classic and Sports Car, and Simply Aston Martin. For a full list of events visit www.beaulieu.co.uk/events.
Vintage tractors, classic cars, and military vehicles are put on display at the Alysham Show.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Truckfest Peterborough.
May 1-2, 2016
T: 01775 768661
W: www.truckfest.co.uk/peterborough
LONDON
The London Motor Show.
May 5-8, 2016
The London Motor Show is home to over 130 brand new vehicles. Enjoy interactive off-road driving experiences, luxury vehicle displays, education and technology seminars, and the chance to meet industry celebrities, including former ‘Stig’ Ben Collins from BBC’s Top Gear.
For group bookings of 10-plus call 0844 844 2121. Coach parking is available nearby, with the opportunity to arrange private coaches or shuttle buses to and from the venue at Battersea Evolution.
For more information visit www.thelondonmotorshow.co.uk.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Heavy Horses at Northumberland County Show
Northumberland County Show.
May 30, 2016
T: 01434 604216
E: info@northcountryshow.co.uk
SOMERSET
The Royal Bath and West Show.
June 1-4, 2016
The Royal Bath and West Show hosts over 4,500 livestock, live entertainment, and displays of machinery from the last century, alongside the latest farming technology.
The show celebrates the regions cider and cheese heritage, hosting The British Cider Championships and The British Cheese Awards. New for 2016 is a Food and Drink area, home to small, artisan food producers, with a big top marquee showcasing live, acoustic music.
For a full festival experience, camping facilities are available on-site. Pitch fees are £10 per night. Tickets for the show cost £17 per adult for Earlybird (available up to March 31, 2016), with prices increasing to £19 online from April 1.
To book call 0844 776 6777, or for more information visit www.bathandwest.com/royal-bath-and-west-show.
Bournemouth Wheels Festival returns in 2016 with a new and exciting variety of stunts and monster truck shows.
DORSET
Bournemouth Wheels Festival.
June 3-5, 2016
Celebrating its third year in 2016, the Bournemouth Wheels Festival will feature monster truck shows and new stunts, in addition to classic motor and super car displays, military vehicles and modern models from well-known car manufacturers.
Stand on the sidelines of the Monster Truck Arena and view a daredevil display from Team Extreme’s BMX riders and skaters. The popular Demonstration Straight exhibits a variety of Formula One cars throughout the years, alongside racing cars, bikes and karts.
Pop-up arenas return to showcase precision driving displays, motorcycle stunts, karting and lawn mower racing.
New for 2016 are professional street bike stunt team Two Brothers, in addition to motorbike trials and tricks in the Wheels Showcase. The event will also welcome the UK Quad Bike Beach Cross Championships.
The Bournemouth Wheels Festival is free to attend, with a variety of paid-for activities available. A regular shuttle bus service will help visitors move around the site. For more information visit www.bournemouthwheels.co.uk.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
The Cambridgeshire County Show.
June 5, 2016
T: 07758676017
E: cambscountyshow@btconnect.com
CORNWALL
The Royal Cornwall Show.
June 9-11, 2016
The Royal Cornwall Show is home to a steam fair that displays a broad range of machines, with 2016 seeing a special steam engine that appeared in the film, The Iron Maiden, put on display. Also available to browse is the motor fair, with various top models exhibited.
There are around 170 Women’s Institutes in Cornwall, boasting almost 4,500 members. Every year, on the first day of the show, the Royal Cornwall Cup is presented to the winning WI group.
Group bookings are available for parties of 10-plus, with prices from £16 per day. Groups should be booked in advance - call 01208 812183. Future dates for The Royal Cornwall Show have already been announced; June 8-10, 2017, June 7-9, 2018 and June 6-8, 2019.
For more information visit www.royalcornwallshow.org.
WEST SUSSEX
The South of England Show.
June 9-11, 2016
T: 01444 892700
W: www.seas.org.uk/south-of-england-show
WORCESTSHIRE
The Royal Three Counties Show.
June 17-19, 2016
T: 01684 584900
W: www.threecounties.co.uk/threecounties
CHESHIRE
The Royal Cheshire County Show.
June 21-22, 2016
Visitors to The Royal Cheshire County Show can hop aboard the Sky Swing, enjoying 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside when lifted 60-metres above the showground. Back on ground level, visit the WI Marquee, which will be showcasing many holiday themes in 2016.
School visits to The Royal Cheshire County Show include Plough to Plate – Where Your Food Really Comes From at the Sainsbury’s Agri-Centre, which offers an interactive insight into the primary stage of food production.
Children can participate in live milking demonstrations, cheese-making demonstrations and learn more about crop displays. Student entry to the show costs from £7.50 per child and one supervising adult is admitted free with every 10 students (www.royalcheshireshow.org/school-party-bookings-royal-cheshire-county-show.)
Adult entry to the show costs £16 per person per day when booked online. A joint ticket to The Royal Cheshire Show and RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is available for £35 per person - to book, visit www.royalcheshireshow.org.
SCOTLAND
The Royal Highland Show.
June 23-26, 2016
T: 01313 356207
NORFOLK
The Royal Norfolk Show.
June 29-30, 2016
T: 01603 748931
E: samantha.joyce@rnaa.org.uk (School Groups)
W: www.royalnorfolkshow.rnaa.org.uk
SHROPSHIRE
The Newport Show.
July 9, 2016
The Newport Show is celebrated as one of Shropshire’s largest one-day events, and will be held at the picturesque Chetwynd Deer Park in Newport in 2016.
BBC’s Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain will headline the 107th show, with live demonstrations and talks about her rise to baking fame.
There will also be a schools marquee. Discounted tickets are available from the show’s website until July 1, 2016. For more information visit www.newportshow.org.
ESSEX
The Tendring Show.
July 9, 2016
T: 01206 231821
YORKSHIRE
The Great Yorkshire Show.
July 12-14, 2016
Discounted tickets are available for groups of 15 people-plus planning an excursion to The Great Yorkshire Show. One adult ticket costs £22. Additional perks include a free souvenir programme for every 10 tickets booked and free coach parking on-site. A separate coach operator package is available. Groups must be booked and paid for by June 30.
Charles Mills, Director at The Great Yorkshire Show, said: “The Great Yorkshire Show is the flagship event for the industry and combines a social day out with the chance for farmers to do business and see the latest machinery and equipment, superb livestock and fascinating demonstrations.”
The 158th event is set to see more than 8,000 animals competing in classes, around 1,200 retail stands, exciting demonstrations, in addition to a new food theatre hosted within a brand new exhibition hall.
For details, call Sally Wall on 01423 546218 or email sallyw@yas.co.uk. For school visits, contact Di Kirkman on 01423 546283 or email dik@yas.co.uk. For more information visit www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk.
CUMBRIA
The Penrith Show.
July 23, 2016
T: 01768 898982
E: secretary@penrithshow.co.uk
HAMPSHIRE
The New Forest & Hampshire County Show.
July 26-28, 2016
The New Forest & Hampshire County Show is an annual three-day agricultural show held at the end of July, and is rated amongst the top 10 agricultural shows in the country.
Visitors can save five per cent on entry when booked online, with prices starting from £18.05 per person per day. Group tickets for 12-plus people are available. To book call 01590 622409 or email jenny@newforestshow.co.uk. For more information visit www.newforestshow.co.uk. A number of accommodation options are available at www.newforestshow.co.uk/new-forest-hotels-accommodation.
DERBYSHIRE
Celebrate 186 Years of the Bakewell Show.
August 3-4, 2016
The Bakewell Show is one of the oldest agricultural shows in the UK, boasting almost 200 years of history.
Entertainment for the 2016 event includes a street theatre performance from Titan the Robot (www.titantherobot.com). Visitors can also enjoy scurry driving (a pair of ponies pulling a carriage around an obstacle course), vintage farm machinery and a classic car display.
A new Farmers’ Market was introduced in 2015, and will return in 2016, situated next to the Food and Farming marquee, making it a foodie’s paradise. A designated coach drop-off point is available outside Bakewell Police Station, with parking available at Lady Manners School. Coach drivers receive free entry to the event when booked in advance.
Tickets cost from £16, to reserve call 01629 812736. For more information visit www.bakewellshow.org.
YORKSHIRE
The Emley Show.
August 6, 2016
T: 07736677700
NORFOLK
The 70th Aylsham Show.
August 29, 2016
The Aylsham Show prides itself as the largest one-day agricultural show in East Anglia, held within the sublime countryside setting of Blickling Park; a National Trust estate (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling-estate).
Showing classes for livestock are a key feature of The Aylsham Show, with vintage tractors and machinery, classic cars and military vehicles also put on display. Tickets cost £15 per adult. Reduced price tickets are available to purchase online from August 1, with a special ‘show only’ offer available from July 11-31, 2016. For more information visit www.theaylshamshow.co.uk.
YORKSHIRE
The Reeth Show.
August 29, 2016
The Reeth Show opens with a Reeth Brass Band parading through the village, and they can later be found in the showground entertaining the crowds.
A colourful collection of vintage tractors, cars and bikes are put on display, with 2016 seeing a new section introduced for vintage motorbikes.
Elsewhere, the show’s large marquee hosts a number of classes, in addition to competitions in handicrafts, paintings and photography. Entry costs £8. For more information visit www.reethshow.co.uk.
#DON’T MISS
Chatsworth Country Fair.
September 2-4, 2016
Chatsworth Country Fair serves up a true taste of the countryside with a unique blend of family entertainment, cooking demonstrations and rural crafts, showcased alongside the stunning backdrop of Chatsworth House. Check the website – www.chatsworthcountryfair.co.uk - for updated ticket information.
CUMBRIA
The Westmorland County Show.
September 8, 2016
T: 01539 567804
W: www.westmorlandshow.co.uk/westmorland-county-show.html
SOMERSET
Taste, Try and Buy at the Frome Agricultural and Cheese Show.
September 10, 2016
The Frome Cheese Show boasts one of the oldest cheese shows in the country, and 155 years since the show was first held in Frome in 1861. The show’s vast Cheese Pavilion showcases some of the country’s finest dairy produce, with over 1,200 entries from around the world, as well as cheese-making demonstrations for visitors to enjoy.
If a particular flavour takes your fancy, a cheese auction is held annually in the afternoon, where visitors have the chance to bid on some of their favourite cheeses.
Avid foodies can visit the Rangemaster Kitchen Theatre, home to celebrity chefs, alongside the Fine and Local Food Hall, which houses over 40 trade stands.
Tickets cost £15 per person. For more information visit www.fromecheeseshow.co.uk.
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