Lochaber Agricultural Show, Highlands
Held on a farm in Happy Valley in the Highlands, this scenic show has Ben Nevis as a backdrop. As well as agriculture and horses, there is an emphasis on handicrafts, with contests in scores of categories across baking, preserving, knitting, crafting, growing and more. This is the 124th annual show, but categories have moved with the times, with prizes for the best sourdough bread, kombucha and hummus. The show field has sheep-shearing demos, a children’s pet parade, pipers and Highland dancers, and there is a children’s tent and a food and craft marquee.
26 August, adults £8, under-18s free, lochaberagriculturalshow.co.uk
Countess of Warwick Country Show, Essex
Based on a 19th-century flower show held at Little Easton Manor, this country show was revived in the same location in 1990. It still has a horticultural marquee, but these days the programme also includes a classic car show with Rolls-Royce rides; a ploughing match; an animal tent and dog show; and an art exhibition. Lots of audience-participation events take place in the main arena, from egg-and-spoon and sack races to a game of canine musical sit. There is a hog roast and bar near the arena, and another food area by the manor house, where visitors can sip Pimm’s or prosecco and listen to live music by the lake.
27 and 28 August, adults £8, under-12s free, countessofwarwickshow.org
Widecombe Fair, Devon
Widecombe Fair began as a rural market for sheep, cattle and ponies in the early 1800s and still takes place in the Dartmoor village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor on the second Tuesday in September. These days there is no buying and selling of livestock and it is more of a social occasion, but it’s still widely attended by local farmers. As well as sheep and horse judging, visitors can expect tug-of-war and bale-tossing contests, children’s races and the infamous Uncle Tom Cobley downhill race – competitors are driven to an undisclosed location in the hills and get back to the fair as fast as possible. There is live music on a main stage, on the village green and in the garden of the Rugglestone Inn, plus a beer tent and Devon food producers.
12 September, adults £10, under-16s free, widecombefair.com
Aylsham Show, Norfolk
The first modern Aylsham Show was held on the town’s recreation ground in 1946, and it moved to its current home, the National Trust’s nearby Blickling Estate, in 1955. Today it is a dramatic show, with displays in the main ring by one of the army’s leading parachute teams, plus motorcycle stunts, Cossack trick riding and mounted games. Bloodhounds will be baying in the countryside ring and chainsaw artists revving up the rural crafts area. There are more sedate charms too, from livestock competitions to food traders and classic cars.
28 August, adults £25, under-16s free, theaylshamshow.co.uk
Bellingham Show, Northumberland
This festival in the village of Bellingham, on the edge of Northumberland national park and half an hour from popular Hexham, is celebrated in Philip Larkin’s 1973 poem Show Saturday. It still features the dogs, ponies and sheep mentioned by Larkin, his beer marquee (which is now called the Reivers Return), the “long high tent of growing and making” and his Cumberland wrestling event. Other longstanding traditions include the Northumbrian piping competition and the fell race, while more novel attractions include the Biking Vikings, a group of motorcycle-riding, stilt-walking, pipe- and drum-playing charity Vikings. As Larkin said of the show, “Let it always be there.”
26 August, adults £10, children £5, bellinghamshow.co.uk
Wolsingham Show, County Durham
Wolsingham, a market town near Bishop Auckland in Weardale hosts what is believed to be England’s oldest extant agricultural show. This year is the 243rd Wolsingham Show, which began in 1763. Eighteenth-century visitors would probably have been familiar with the livestock parades, farriery competitions, falconry displays and ferret shows. They might be surprised by this year’s giant tortoises and alpacas, strongmen and strongwomen contests, global street food, and upcycled and handmade gifts. Saturday is agricultural day and includes sheepdog trials; Sunday is country fair day, with a line-dancing hoedown. Both days feature showjumping competitions.
2 and 3 September, adults £12, children over five £5, wolsinghamshow.co.uk
Usk Show, Monmouthshire
Since the first event in 1844, the Usk Show has grown to be one of the UK’s biggest one-day agricultural shows, with 11 sections across a 40-hectare (100-acre) showground and more than 300 food and craft traders. Farmers bring their cattle, pigs and sheep to compete in the livestock section; there is a horse show and showjumping competitions; contests for goats, rabbits and pet dogs; horticulture and handicraft areas; a steam engine corner and vintage tractors. The countryside ring has displays of sheepdogs, working horses, falcons and more, and the main ring has a daring freestyle motocross display.
9 September, adults £16, under-16s free, uskshow.co.uk
Romsey Show, Hampshire
Horses are the stars of this show in Romsey’s Broadlands Park, with a host of equine events featuring everything from heavy horses to donkey foals. The livestock grand parade at 3pm has been a highlight since the 1930s. More unusual animal attraction include angora goats, rabbits and guinea pigs, a reptile zone and an educational show about moles. The food zone has stands selling local produce, a skills kitchen with Hampshire chefs, ice-cream carts, a honey tent and a Beggars Fair picnic area with live performers.
9 September, adults £20, children over 12 £14, romseyshow.co.uk
Frome Agricultural and Cheese Show, Somerset
This show, at the West Woodlands Showground near Frome, is a real cheese-fest. There are more than 1,500 entrants in the global cheese awards (with an auction of some of the prize winners), stalls with great cheesy deals and a cheese bar serving ploughman’s lunches and other dairy delights. Cheese is not the only attraction, however. Entertainment across four arenas includes: horse riding – a highlight is the shetland pony display team; the Hogg Show, with rare-breed pigs; the family dog show; and entertainment including falconry, terrier racing and an “extreme bike battle”. Country pursuits include fly-fishing demos, archery, free laser clay pigeon shooting and a free climbing wall. Kids can try circus skills, cuddle babies in the animal nursery and play on the inflatable and fun fair.
9 September, adult £16s, children over five £5, fromecheeseshow.co.uk
Penistone Agricultural Show, South Yorkshire
Penistone, a market town near Barnsley in South Yorkshire, is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its agricultural show this year. To mark the occasion, there will be a “scarecrow extravaganza”, with entries judged by the town mayor. The show is always a competitive affair: some of the many other contests include best mounted fancy dress, scruffiest fowl, cutest puppy and waggiest tail, plus bake-offs and photography competitions. The Sheep and Lettuce tearoom serves afternoon tea (£18) and a two-course lunch (£23) – perhaps roast beef and yorkshire pudding followed by eton mess.
9 September, adults £15, children over five £3, penistoneshow.com
