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Summer shows at Birstwith and Newby Hall this weekend
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Handicrafts, horticulture and heavy horses are just three of the attractions on offer this weekend, at two of the district’s first country shows of the summer.
The fun starts at midday on Saturday (July 26), when the first of more than 1,000 visitors arrive for the 129th Birstwith Show. Following an official opening at around 1pm by the Show Princess, Birstwith Annual Village Show Field will be buzzing with competitions across 86 classes in horticulture, flower arranging, cookery and homemade beverages, photography, arts and crafts, and children’s classes.
A contingent of junior soldiers from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College will be on hand to help things run smoothly, and there will also be food available, live music and dancing, with last orders at the bar at 9.30pm.
Show organiser James Henderson told the Stray Ferret:
The grass has been mown, the field is looking immaculate, and the weather’s looking good.
We’ve had a lot more entries than we usually do too – more than 700, which is 15% up on last year. I think it must have been such a good show last year that it’s encouraged more people to enter. Success breeds success!
The Aldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show.
The day after, Sunday (July 27), will see more than 3,000 visitors converge on the grounds of Newby Hall for the 110th Aldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show.
The show will feature similar classes to the previous day’s Birstwith event, but with plenty of additions, including competitive classes for dogs, sheep, cattle, heavy horses, vintage tractors and carriage driving.
There will also be trade stands, food stalls, a bar and children’s activities, and the entry fee includes access to Newby Hall’s gardens and adventure playground.
Tickets for Birstwith Horticultural Show cost £7.50 on the gate or £7 in advance online.
Tickets for the Aldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show cost £15 on the day or £12.50 online for adults. Entry for children over the age of 12 costs £5, and under-12s go free.
Other shows
The show season in our district kicked off with the biggest one of all, the Great Yorkshire Show, earlier this month, and that was followed by the Weeton Show a week later.
But more widely, there's plenty more yet to come for fans of country shows this summer, with dozens of events happening across the region, from Sedgefield in County Durham to Penistone in South Yorkshire.
Here are the shows yet to come in our district alone:
Sunday, August 3: Tockwith Show
Sunday, August 10: Ripley Show
Sunday, September 21: Nidderdale Show
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