Another very busy year in store at the ShowgroundDriffield

It is a hive of activity at Driffield Showground, as Driffield Agricultural Society prepares for a busy year ahead packed with shows, events, educational programmes and entertainment for the whole family.

Fulfilling its remit of educating and informing the community about farming and the food the industry provides, this spring sees the welcome return of the Food and Farming education day.

Taking place on 23rd May, more than 1,600 schoolchildren from 41 schools across the East Riding, Hull and parts of North Yorkshire will visit the Showground for an educational and entertaining day where they will find out about how their food makes its way onto the supermarket shelves.

Around 70 farmers, growers and food producers will stage exhibits giving the children an understanding of the origins of the food they eat and how much of it can be produced on farms in East Yorkshire.

This will be followed on 24th May with a new event to showcase the wide range of careers available within agriculture in the East Riding.

The Countryside Careers Evening is open to Key Stage 3 and 4 students and their families and will give young people an insight into employment opportunities in a rural setting, whilst also helping rural businesses make contact with potential employees of the future.

Currently representatives from 52 businesses have confirmed they will be attending from a variety of industries including agriculture, both livestock and arable farming, agricultural-related industries, engineering, conservation, renewable technologies, supermarkets and supply chains, professional practices and local and further education establishments.

David Tite, chief executive of Driffield Agricultural Society said these two events provide fantastic opportunities to educate and inspire the next generation about food production and employment opportunities within the rural East Riding.

He said: “This May we will be hosting our sixth education day and this year we will have 41 schools and 1,615 schoolchildren coming to the site, where they will receive an important insight into how their food is produced.

“We have around 70 different stands booked from all manner of food production. The main ring will be filled with big agricultural equipment which will be demonstrated to the children. We have dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, alpacas and heavy horses and businesses from across the East Riding showcasing their role in producing the food we eat.

“Thanks to fundraising, grants from charitable trusts, sponsorship and donations, we are able to keep this event free for schools to attend and it is one of my favourite days of the year.

“This will be followed on 24th May by a brand new event, our Countryside Careers Evening.

“This is an exciting opportunity to link young people with future employers. We have a really good mix of companies who have signed up and it is their opportunity to highlight the variety of different roles they have available in their businesses.

“This should be an aspirational and inspirational event for the next generation and an exciting opportunity to find out more about the varied opportunities in rural businesses.”

A further continuation of Driffield Agricultural Society’s education programme will see the return of the popular ‘An Evening with’ series with BBC HARDtalk presenter Stephen Sackur as this year’s guest speaker.

‘A Conversation with Stephen Sackur’ will take place in the Rix Pavilion at Driffield Showground on Friday, 14th April, starting at 7pm.

Stephen Sackur is the current presenter of HARDtalk, the BBC World News flagship current affairs programme.

Tickets, priced at £15 including a light supper, are still available by calling 01377 257494 or emailing Elaine at elaine@driffieldshowground.co.uk.

The flagship event on the Driffield Agricultural Society calendar is the Driffield Show which this year will return to its one-day format on Wednesday 19th July.

JC Balls Dancing Diggers will be the main ring attraction at the show. This hugely popular spectacle will demonstrate the flexibility and talent of the JCB operators as they follow a routine to music, containing several daring manoeuvres including balancing the machines on their sides and wheelies.

David, who has just completed his two-year term as chairman of the national body for agricultural shows, the ASAO (Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations) said preparations for the show were progressing well with many traditions returning after an absence of three years due to the pandemic.

He said: “We are really excited about this year’s show which is returning to its one-day format.

“We are delighted that the Dancing Diggers will be performing in the main ring; they always go down really well with the crowds.

“This year we have the return of the agricultural vehicle demonstration ring which was really popular when we launched it last year.

“The forestry section is going from strength to strength and continues to be a popular attraction. Our horticulture and handicraft marquees are retuning back to their traditional style and this year the fencing competition is back.

“The livestock sections are very exciting and we have the carcass section returning this year.

“The food zone is massively successful and creates a real festival feel and we have the return of the food demonstration hall this year.

“Trade stands are going really well and we have a number of businesses who are returning this year after a break following COVID.”

For further information and to buy Driffield Show advance discounted tickets visit www.driffieldshowground.co.uk. Tickets are priced £16 for adults and accompanied children under 16 are free.

The events season at Driffield Showground gets underway this week when Circus Montini comes to Driffield Showground from Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th March.

The family entertainment promises a fast-paced, non-stop, 60 minute, all human production packed full of comedy, juggling, balancing, acrobatics, stunts and more.

This kick starts a packed calendar of events at the Showground with most weekends seeing events either taking place in the buildings or on the Showground.

Later in the year, in October, Driffield Showground will also become the new location for the mobile breast screening unit.

The unit was previously homed in the car park at Tesco, and after the unit was no longer able to be situated there, suitable alternative locations were sought.

Driffield Agricultural Society offered its site and the unit will be in place from October.

Meanwhile, work is ongoing to maintain the site and to make it as accessible as possible.

Sections of the road are being re-tarmacked thanks to sponsorship from Ashcourt, gates have been updated and work is taking place to upgrade the facilities on the site to make them as accessible as possible to ensure the Showground is inclusive for all visitors.