Historic Great Yorkshire Show set to take place in Harrogate next week

Almost 100,000 people are expected to attend the event at the Great Yorkshire Showground as it takes place over four days - instead of three - for the first time in the show’s history.

Organisers the Yorkshire Agricultural Society made the move to accommodate more visitors after the event’s capacity was reduced to 25,000 per day to ensure public safety. The event’s record attendance hit 135,111 in 2006 and has not dropped below 120,000 since 2002 - until now.

The show - England’s premier showcase of farming, food and the countryside - will take place between Tuesday, July 13 and Friday 16, from 8am to 5pm each day.

Charles Mills, honorary show director, said: “We are thrilled by the response to our plans for the show this year in what we know will not quite be normal circumstances. There is a limit on how many people can attend on any one day of the show and so for the first time in our history we believe the best option is to offer a four-day event.”

Last year’s Great Yorkshire Show was cancelled in full for the first time since the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001. The event was also cancelled after the first day in 2012 due to unprecedented rainfall.

Coronavirus restrictions meant the 2020 show went virtual instead, offering behind-the-scenes tours of farms, workshops and with food producers that attracted viewers from more than 40 different countries.

The agricultural society also continued its year-round support to the farming community through online gatherings and debates, health and wellbeing videos and nurturing a new supportive online community through its Yorkshire Women In Farming Facebook group.

Mr Mills added: “We know the Great Yorkshire Show means so much to so many people and we want to give them something exciting to look forward to at the end of a testing time for us all.”

Visitors will be able to enjoy Sporting Soprano Lizzie Jones and Atkinson Action Horses as the Main Ring performers, alongside a packed timetable of competitions and displays, including show-jumping, cattle, sheep and pig rings.

The Game Cookery Theatre, a family area, the hounds show, an arts show, a countryside pursuits arena, garden shows and live music on the President’s Lawn Bandstand are also included in what remains a jam-packed itinerary for the week.

Tickets for the Great Yorksire Show must be booked in advance at: greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/ticket-information.