Balmoral Show 2023 will kick off on Wednesday (May 10) and will run until Saturday (May 13), at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn.
The four-day show, organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS), is now in its 154th year.
The event is Northern Ireland’s biggest food and agricultural event and typically welcomes thousands of visitors on each day of the show.
Ahead of the event kicking off, Agriland has compiled the essential information that anybody attending the show needs to know.
How to get there
The Balmoral showgrounds are located just outside the city of Lisburn. The nearest train station is Lisburn train station, which is less than 15 minutes away, and will run a “complimentary shuttle service” to the showgrounds.
Organisers issued a warning to visitors to allow 30-45 minutes for transfer time for returning from the show to make onward bus and train connections due to “anticipated heavy congestion around the site”.
The last shuttle bus on each day of the show will leave 20 minutes after the closing time.
A list of free shuttle bus service times from Lisburn train station is available on the Balmoral Show website.
Showground opening times and map
The opening times for each day of the show are as follows:
- Wednesday (May 10) – 9:30a.m to 6:00p.m;
- Thursday (May 11) – 9:30a.m to 8:00p.m;
- Friday (May 12) – 9:30a.m to 7:00p.m;
- Saturday (May 13) – 9:30a.m to 6:00p.m.
A map of the showgrounds:
Tickets and parking
Event organisers have encouraged potential visitors to purchase their tickets online before going to the show, as they will avoid queues and benefit from a discounted price.
Children under the age of five can enter the show for free, and child tickets (five to 11 years) can only be purchased with an adult or senior ticket.
A ticket for an adult entering on any one day of the show is priced at £23.50.
Tickets for pre-teens and teenagers between the ages of 12-18 stand at £17, while senior tickets (for those over the age of 65) are £18.
Disabled parking is available for people in possession of a blue badge and organisers have warned that this is on a first come first served basis.
A car parking charge of £10 will apply to anybody parking in any of the showground car parks.
Balmoral Show 2023
Operations director, Rhonda Geary, said: “The countdown to this year’s show is on, we can’t wait to welcome visitors through the gates over four jam-packed days.
“The show promises to be a fun-filled day out, with so much to see and do.
“Whether you’re looking for family fun, fantastic food or the chance to view exceptional livestock, the show has it all.”
The show’s organisers said the event prides itself on offering something for everyone; from prize-winning livestock, an unrivalled array of trade stands, the mouth-watering NI Food & Drink pavilion as well as a “wide range of family entertainment and attractions”.
A new addition at the show this year is the ‘Animal Magic Kingdom’, which organisers have expected to be a hit with children, that features “cute and cuddly animals as well as snakes and reptiles”.
The Eikon Shopping Village will feature crafts, tourism, toys, food, clothing, jewellery, beauty, health and wellbeing and more, according to organisers.
New to this year’s show is ‘The Makers Market’ which is specifically for crafters and artisan makers to showcase their products.
With livestock remaining at the heart of the show, the show’s organisers have said they have welcomes entries from over 3000 head of livestock across all livestock, equine and showjumping classes.
