Garstang Agricultural Show back this weekend with packed programme of attractions

Following months of preparation, Garstang Agricultural Show returns this weekend, promising a day packed with entertainment, animals and a celebration of agriculture.

The 200 year old event, organised by the Garstang and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society, will bring a buzz of activity to the Garstang Showfield on Saturday (Aug 1) as thousands of visitors flock to the annual show.

This latest event follows an already packed summer calendar for the town, which has included the ever popular Children’s Festival as well as the Family Fun Day and Scarecow Festival.

Running from 8.30am to 5pm, the agricultural family event will feature big top entertainment from Astral Circus, animal themed displays, vintage machinery and fairground rides.

Visitors can also enjoy refreshments in the artisan food hall and support local businesses at the trade stands and craft tent.

Speaking ahead of the event, organisers said: "Garstang Show always has and always will be about community.

"What may seem to many as just another event is, in reality, a way to bring the local community together to learn about, enjoy and celebrate the role farming, food and the countryside play in all our lives.

"Watch the action in the Main Ring, shop for delicious local produce in the Food Hall and see beautiful floral displays and handmade crafts in the Horticulture Marquee.

"Immerse yourself in agriculture with a packed timetable of livestock classes and trade stands showcasing the best of our local businesses."

Tickets are still available for the event, which is expected to attract around 15,000 visitors.

Organisers are strongly advising visitors to book online in advance, as entry on the day cannot be guaranteed.

A brief history of The Garstang Agricultural Show

The Garstang and District Agricultural Society was founded in 1809 after local landowner Alex Butler called a meeting to establish an organisation that would support agriculture in the area.

The Society staged its first show in 1813, with a modest programme of crop and livestock competitions, and the Royal Oak in Garstang quickly became closely associated with the event, hosting meetings, dinners and the early shows.

Although competition from neighbouring agricultural shows led to a decline in the 1840s, the event was revived and transformed in 1885 when the Society merged with the Garstang Dog and Poultry Association.

The newly formed Garstang and District Agricultural Society expanded its reach across the surrounding villages and went on to grow into one of Lancashire's best known rural events.

Over the following century, the show evolved alongside the region's farming industry, introducing new attractions including horticulture, goats, trade stands and agricultural machinery.

It moved to its current, larger site in 1938 to accommodate growing crowds and exhibits, and has continued to celebrate the county's agricultural heritage for more than 200 years, remaining one of Lancashire's longest running community events.