THERE is just a week to go until the Royal Welsh Showground will be bustling with activity as it welcomes visitors back to its favourite family event, the Smallholding and Countryside Festival.
Taking place next Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21, the festival is a celebration of rural life and country living with smallholding pursuits at its heart. The weekend-long event is a showcase of the real diversity of the Welsh countryside.
Together with an array of display ring attractions, competitions, children's activities, shopping tradestands, live music, and delicious food and drink, the festival promises to be a fantastic day out for all.
The smallholders centre will continue to be the main port of call for those wanting to learn more about the smallholder’s way of life. An ideal place to stock up on the essentials from the agricultural and smallholding themed tradestands, whether you need a new bucket or perhaps a piece of machinery, you’ll be sure to find what you need here.
A variety of activities will be held in the Country Life area, including the Premier Open Dog Show (Crufts 2024 qualifier), the Woodville Medieval Re-enactment Camp, BASC Gun Dogs demonstrations, British Army health and fitness, forestry competitions, sporting and countryside activities, all accompanied by live music from the bandstand.
For those looking for family fun, get involved in the biking activities and obstacle course. Children can give cycling a go and helmets and bikes are provided. Also featured in the Country Life area, the Panic Family Circus returns to entertain with circus skills, workshops, and traditional puppet shows.
For animal interactions, Pentre Pop-Up Farm will be bringing along a variety of small farm animals, including ponies, goats, kids, lambs, rabbits and guinea pigs, together with a forest school discovery area with craft and sensory activities.
The display ring will be jam-packed with displays for your entertainment, featuring three times world champion Steve Colley’s Motorbike Stunt Show, the Little Nippers Lurcher and Terrier Show, Gentle Giants Shire Horses, Hackney Horse and Pony Driving Display, the M.A.D Team Mountain Bike aerial display and show jumping and working hunter competitions.
For the dog lovers among you, the Welsh Premier Open Dog Show is held all weekend with the opportunity to see thousands of dogs competing for a chance to qualify for Crufts 2024.
Unlike other events, visitors are welcome to bring their own dogs along to the festival. The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) feature county of Glamorgan will be hosting a novelty fun dog show in the Country Life area. So, if your pup has the waggiest tail, this competition is for you.
For the garden and plant enthusiasts, Farming Connect horticulture will be taking over the members centre for the growers market. Experienced growers representing a cross-section of the horticulture industry will have the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise and showcase their products during the two-day event.
The Meirionnydd Shearing Centre will once again become the wool zone; an area to promote the versatility and wonderful creations which can be made from wool, with demonstrations and wool-related tradestands.
As part of this, wool handling competitions will be held as well as blade shearing, which is new for this year's event.
The springtime festival will feature a vintage and classic theme throughout, including the Welsh Festival of Land Rovers 75th anniversary display, a vintage tearoom in the Country Life area, vintage cars and bikes, Glamorgan tractors, a vintage dairy demonstration and the Meirionnydd Vintage Shearing Display.
It wouldn’t be a Royal Welsh event without showcasing the best food and drink produce that Wales has to offer.
Sample the delicious goods in the renowned food hall or grab a tasty bite at one of the many food stalls dotted around the showground and street food area.
The Royal Welsh showground is easily accessible from all routes and is located where the A470 and A483 cross at Builth Wells.
Tickets for the Smallholding and Countryside Festival are available on the RWAS website. Early bird online tickets are £18 for adults, £5 for children, or why not make a saving and purchase a family ticket?
Visit www.rwas.wales or www.cafc.cymru for more information or to buy tickets.
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