What’s On

Main Attractions

The Main Rings are the centrepiece of the Showground and where all of the Show’s most spectacular displays and competitions will take place.

This Year’s Main Attractions are:

• The REME Lightning Bolts Army Parachute Display Team who will be dropping in (literally!).
• The Pony Club Mounted Games. A fast paced relay of speed and skill.

Main Ring Classics

All of the classic displays will be returning to the Main Rings as well.

The Grand Parade of Livestock and Vintage Machinery takes place every day. Come and see the finest Show animals and gorgeous old tractors.

The Heavy Horse Musical Drive shows off the majestic working horses pulling their vintage carts to transport you back in time!

Take a look at the exciting schedule of Main Ring Attractions who will be entertaining the crowds at the Show this year in the Pennyfarthing Homes West Ring and Rathbones East Ring,

Competitions

Every year the Show hosts a plethora of Equine, Sheep and Cow competitions.

There will be International Showjumping in the Main Rings, plus a variety of other Equine Classes.

The Livestock Marquees will also be a hive of activity with Sheep and Cow classes happening across all three days of the Show.

Local Produce Market

The Local Produce Market is jam-packed with tradestands showcasing their fantastic local produce.

Meet these local producers at their stalls and discover the processes involved in turning ideas into quality products, and of course, try some of them yourself!

Family Fun Area

Enjoy entertainment for all the family!

Watch a packed programme of fun performances hosted by Crazy M.

The Sound Pop Academy and the Love Soul Choir will bring some live music, whilst the Zapp School of Dance will be giving dancing lessons.

The Family Fun Area is sponsored by Happy Hot Tubs

Blacksmiths

Blacksmiths can be seen battling against the clock to demonstrate their wrought iron skills in live competitions to portray the various subjects laid out in the schedule.  These exciting competitions are very popular with visitors and are a real crowd-puller.

Located next to the Pennyfarthing Homes West Ring, the Blacksmith section of the Show gives visitors the opportunity to watch Blacksmiths in action.

The Blacksmith’s Section is sponsored by Solent Street Works.

Axemen

The Adams Axemen remain today the best known lumberjack display team in the country, regularly performing at over 50 shows a year including ours!

The Axemen are sponsored by Christchurch Garden Machinery

Falconry

The Countryside Area will be featuring a variety of displays in the Countryside Ring, including Falconry, Terrier racing, the Gun Dog Scurry and much more!

Fly Casting

You’ll find lots of country pursuits in our Countryside Area. Not only will there be fly-casting demonstrations by professionals but visitors will have the opportunity to have ago for themselves.

Land Army Ladies

Alongside the Vintage Machinery and Forestry Demonstrations in the Old Time Farm Section, the land Army Ladies will be showcasing the essential role the women of wartime Britain played in keeping the nation going during our darkest hour.

Forestry Demonstrations

Watch a live forestry demonstration and learn about the processes involved in turning trees into timber in the Old Time Farming Section.

Bee Keeping Demonstrations

Take advantage of the opportunity to watch bee keeping demonstrations live at the Show! Watch bee keepers in action behind the safety of a screen and find out how you can go about keeping bees for yourself!

The Sheep Show

The world famous sheep show is back once again and is always popular with visitors. This funny yet educational display will be loved by the whole family!

Shopping

With more than 600 trade stands selling a wide selection of products, you’ll be spoilt for choice at the Show. We are pleased to be welcoming back popular stands and plenty of new exhibitors too.

Explore the Showground

The Showground stretches for 35 acres within the picturesque New Park.

Crammed with Show rings, livestock and activity marquees, food stalls and tradestands, you can spend all day (or several!) exploring everything it has to offer.

Little New Park Rangers Courses

Outdoor education sessions designed to help families connect with nature and each other whilst learning something new about the amazing natural environment, using fun activities based in our wonderful woodland.

Our Leafy Friends:

Meet and get to know a tree up close on this mini-woodland adventure and create your own amazing leaf inspired artwork. Activities will involve: a sky mirror walk to look up at the tree canopy; using stick to frame spaces; discovering interesting features of trees and looking at bark textures; looking up close at leaves and learning to identify them; observations of symmetry; and some leaf art aiming to create a woodland tree spirit using leaf rubbings.

All about Elder:

Investigate the many uses of the wonderful Elder tree. Discover how to use simple tools to make your own Elder beads and turn them into unique creations. Then have a taster of some Elder cordial, as an example of one of the many things trees can provide us.

How the Trees Became a Wood:

Using the magic of storytelling in nature to discover how trees grow into a forest over time. The group will explore use of rustic musical instruments to create a soundscape of noises, which each represent the character of different tree species.