The Hawkesbury Horticultural Show takes place on the last Saturday in August every year.
The 137th Hawkesbury Horticultural Society Show
Saturday 26th August 2023
President : His Grace the Duke of Beaufort
Gates open at 12.30 p.m.
One of the floats that took part in the carnival along High Street in 2023
Hawkesbury Horticultural Show is locally believed to be one of the longest continuously running Horticultural Shows in England. From its start in 1885, to the 134th Show in the summer of 2019, it had been held every year without a break, according to the older residents in the village, even during the war years and never cancelling due to inclement weather. Sadly, in 2020, due to the restrictions in place during the covid-19 pandemic, the Show simply could not take place so, like so many events around the country, it had to be postponed. But, the Show was back in 2021, with modifications and emphasis on covid safety and the Show Committee are pleased to announce that Hawkesbury Show will take place once again this year.
Showground address:
Hawkesbury Village Hall and Recreation Ground,
High Street,
Hawkesbury Upton,
South Glos.
GL9 1AU
The main attraction is the large marquee, full of exhibits to be judged on Show day - the biggest and best fruit, vegetables and flowers as well as crafts, home baking and homemade wine and beer, flower arrangements, photographs and children’s pictures, paintings, baking and models.
Gates to the Showground open to the public at 12.30pm but the Show officially begins at 1.30pm with the crowning of the Carnival Queen, or Carnival King, by the war memorial, on The Plain at the end of High Street. The carnival procession of decorated floats and walkers in fancy dress travels through the village and into the showground, led by a Silver Band.
Note: High Street, Hawkesbury will be closed to traffic from 1:00 to 2:00pm. Diversion signs will be in use.
There is entertainment throughout the afternoon in the central arena. This year there is a circus theme - with an illusionist, a fire breather and lollipop aerialist and of course a Ringmaster. Stilt walkers will be mingling with visitors around the Showground. Between the shows, there will be demonstrations of circus skills such as plate spinning, diablo, juggling balls, juggling boxes, poi and other fun activities where adults and children can take part and have a go. Entertainment in the arena concludes with the tractor-pull challenge, which always provides good-natured rivalry, encouraged by the Show compere.
Details of all entertainment, timings and a list of stalls will be available on this website and in the FREE Show programme, which can be collected at the entry gates. There will be fairground rides and sideshows, provided by Roger’s Fair, as well as the popular regulars - the hog and deer roast, beer tent and the Pimms tent. Refreshments are available throughout the afternoon inside the Village Hall. At the end of the afternoon, prizes and trophies are awarded and the raffle is drawn. Show day concludes with a lively auction of selected prize-winning produce, starting at 6.30pm. A volunteer auctioneer will be in charge and if the weather permits, the auction will take place outside the beer tent to give more room for more bidders to take part. The auction usually ends around 7.00pm, but the entertainment continues into the evening with live music in the beer tent and some fairground rides, side stalls and food outlets remaining open.
Come along to the Hawkesbury Show for a great day out!
The Hawkesbury Show Committee
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Some of the many entries in the Show tent
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Prize-winning vegetables |
In previous years, Hawkesbury Show has been featured in the following publications
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Featured in the Gloucestershire Echo's "10 things to do in Gloucestershire over the August Bank Holiday Weekend" 24/08/2016
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BBC Get Inspired - Activity Finder site
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And many more...