For many villages in Northumberland, local agricultural shows are the highlight of their calendar.
The sheer variety of things to see, eat and do will astound anyone, especially if it’s their first time visiting one. However, these rural showcases often are often cornerstones of centuries of history and culture.
The Northumberland County Show is the first and biggest, attracting around 30,000 visitors annually to the show ground in Bywell. However, when it gets to August and September, village shows across the whole county are taking place with everything from animal exhibiting to fruit and vegetable growing competitions.
Here are the rural village and agricultural shows taking place in Northumberland in 2024.
Northumberland County Show
(Image: Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)
When: Saturday, May 25
Where: Showground at Bywell Hall, NE43 7AB
Kicking off the 2024 season, as usual, is the biggest and best-known of the county’s country and village shows. The Northumberland County Show attracts as many as 30,000 people, and is a celebration of rural life.
This year, expect all the usual highlights like the Grand Parade, Champion of Champions, and vintage tractor parade; along with live music, displays, and activities for all the family. New additions for the 2024 show include alpaca walks and a llama display pen, while the Main Arena act features a horse you may recognise from Game of Thrones and Lloyds adverts.
Powburn Show
When: Saturday August 3
Where: Powburn, Alnwick, NE66 4JE
Powburn Show is a traditional country show which takes place on the first Saturday in August. It’s the first village show that takes place in North Northumberland each year and has wrestling, hill racing, sheep dog trials and sheep showing.
Glanton Show
When: Saturday, August 10
Where: Glanton Show Field, NE66 4AL
Glanton Show returns for the third consecutive year after a four year hiatus. Not only was it affected by the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, but in 2019 it was called to a halt due to heavy rain and floods.
In recent years there have been live music, terrier racing, classic cars, a gun dog training display, and a children’s funfair and sports events. The historic show dates back to 1855, and in 1869 they were known as “The Great Northern Games at Glanton”.
Slaley Show
When: Saturday, August 10
Where: Slaley Showground, Townhead, Slaley, NE47 0AT
The Slaley Show has been going for more than 170 years in the West Northumberland village. Beginning life in 1845 as the Slaley and Hexhamshire Floral and Horticultural Society Show, it has undergone many changes to become what it is today.
Originally, animal categories were limited to “best-dressed chickens”, but have since been broadened to have classes for sheep, calves, poultry, goats and alpacas. Across all categories in the show (which also include knitting and stick dressing), there were more than 1,000 entries in 2018.
Allendale Agricultural Show
When: Saturday, August 17
Where: Allendale Showground, 2 Old Brewery the Riding, Allendale Town, NE47 9EE
The Allendale Show offers a taste of the West Northumberland countryside with keenly-contested sheep classes taking place alongside horse events throughout the day. Its dog show attracts a host of different breeds,w hile there are also competition classes for produce, handicrafts, photography, art, flowers and flower arrangements.
Warkworth Show
When: Saturday, August 17
Where: Warkworth Castle Grounds, Castle Terrace, NE65 0UJ
This year’s Warkworth Show will be the 152nd to take place in the castle grounds of the fortress overlooking the sea. Exhibitors can enter into horticulture, industrial and children’s classes; and there is a dog show.
Whittingham Show
When: Saturday, August 17
Where: Show field near Whittingham Lane, NE66 4RJ
The Whittingham Show offers amusements, rides and games; a dog show; a well-being area; and plenty of food in this small village west of Alnwick and north of Rothbury. Last year’s show featured a “guess the weight of the lamb” competition, Tug of War, and vintage tractors.
Falstone Border Shepherds’ Show
When: Saturday, August 24
Where: Show field in Falstone, NE48 1AA
Last year’s show saw a last minute change of venue which organisers deemed a success, but the Falstone Border Shepherd’s Show will return to its old venue in 2024. Established in 1885, the main focus is on sheep; though there are classes for dogs, and lots of non-animal based competitions and attractions too.
Glendale Show
(Image: John Huddart, Glendale PR)
When: Monday, August 26 (Bank Holiday)
Where: Wooler Showfield, North Middleton (two miles south of Wooler on the A697), NE71 6QX
Another of the biggest shows in the county, the Glendale Show welcomed around 12,000 visitors to North Northumberland in last year; some of whom had travelled from as far as Somerset. The show takes place on the August Bank Holiday each year, and last year’s event saw Freestyle Motorcross, Aldabra giant tortoises, and the”Hilarious Sheep Show”.
Blanchland Show
When: Monday, August 26 (Bank Holiday)
Where: Blanchland, DH8 9UA
Another county show that takes place every August Bank Holiday Monday is the Blanchland Show, on the border of Northumberland and Durham. One of the attractions of this show is a half marathon and 10k that runs on the same day, which heads up into the North Pennines National Landscape.
Bellingham Show
When: Saturday, August 31
Where: Bellingham Show Field, NE48 2JY
Along with the county show and Glendale Show, Bellingham is one of the larger shows in the annual calendar. This year sees Big Pete Monster Trucks coming to the North Tyne village, as well as live bands, Northumbrian piping and wrestling.
In terms of animals and livestock, there will be horses, sheep, terrier racing, and a dog show. Visitors who are able to avoid driving to the show, can even make the most of the two beer tents.
The Etal Show
When: Sunday, September 1
Where: Etal Village, Cornhill on Tweed, TD12 4TL
Said to be one of the oldest one-day country fairs in the North East, the Etal Show is held on the first Sunday each September. There is a heavier focus on vegetables, flower arrangements, and food here – though there is a dog show where visiting pooches can compete in a range of classes.
Ingram Show
When: Saturday, September 14
Where: Ingram Show Field, NE66 4LT
A small and traditional country event, Ingram Show aims to bring people together from the local community to display livestock alongside traditional skills and crafts.
Thropton Show
When: Saturday, September 21
Where: Thropton Show Field, NE65 7JE
Coquetdale’s Thropton Show is another of the smaller shows in the Northumberland calendar. Last year saw a quoits competition, and a fell race; alongside competitions for fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Belford Village Show
When: Saturday, September 28
Where: Belford Football Grounds, NE70, 7NZ
One of the final village shows of the year, Belford’s show takes place right at the end of September. 2024 will be the 106th show, with last year’s welcoming around 500 people.
Upper Redesdale Show
When: Saturday, September 28
Where: High Rochester, NE19 1RB
The 133rd annual Upper Redesdale Show takes place this year at High Rochester. The hamlet on the A68, home to Bremenium Roman Fort, is one of the last villages before crossing into Scotland.
Alwinton Show
(Image: Claire Barber PR)
When: Saturday, October 12
Where: Alwinton Show Ground NE65 7BQ
The Alwinton Border Shepherds’ Show brings country and village show season to a close in Northumberland, not taking place until October. 2023’s event may have had a chill in the air, but it was a sunny day for rare breed displays, dog shows, a children’s fell race, Westmorland Wrestling, and collie dog judging.
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View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/agricultural-village-shows-northumberland-2024-28509059
