It’s full steam ahead for what looks set to be the UK’s only summer agricultural show to take place this year.
Taking place – albeit virtually – this Saturday (May 2), The Greatest Online Agricultural Show includes many traditional show highlights.
The schedule includes livestock competitions, food and craft tents, and displays by the RAF Red Arrows, JCB Dancing Diggers and a now-retired Vulcan Bomber.
David Hill founded the show after dozens of agricultural shows across the country were forced to cancel because of Covid-19.
Hill, a rural estate manager from Berkshire, explained the show is free to attend, and everyone is welcome.
“Gates will be open between 9:00am and 5:00pm on Saturday, May 2 and the weather is guaranteed to be perfect!” he said.
He explained the idea came to him one Friday morning to take the key elements of a show and run them online.
Also Read: 150 attend UK-based ‘digital farm walk’“The agricultural show has weathered many storms, including surviving two world wars in the last century and dramatic crises like foot and mouth disease.
“The lockdown has forced many show organisers to cancel their 2020 events, starving communities of an important community gathering, denying thousands of traders the opportunity to promote themselves and halting important fundraising opportunities for charities at a time when they are more in need than ever,” he said.
I had an idea on the way into work one morning – there’s no reason why some of the fun of shows couldn’t be run online.
“We could have a Twitter-based show with livestock competitions judged by the public. We could have some video demonstrations of skills or trades and we could have a beer tent.”
However, Hill did not anticipate the huge support that the idea would gather. Within 24 hours, the show’s Twitter account had over 1,000 followers.
“I realised just how much enthusiasm there was for this idea, so I decided that I would make it happen. I was blown away by the offers of support.”
The show has also chosen five rural welfare charities to support, including:
- RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution);
- RSABI (Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution);
- FCN (Farming Community Network);
- YANA (You Are Not Alone); and
- The DPJ Foundation.
Several businesses and rural organisations are also involved in hosting the various areas of the show and trade stands are being encouraged to make a charity donation for their presence.
The show will run as a one-day event hosted online here and on social media.
