A day off from the farm, a family day out, villages and communities coming together in the countryside – not to mention an award winning lemon curd or the best baked pie being shown with pride.
The first agricultural and country shows to take place in Yorkshire date back to the late 1700s.
Some 250 years later, not much in the world is the same. However, village, country and agricultural shows remain a “snapshot in time” where those values, ethos and traditions have not changed at all.
In and around Whitby and its surrounding villages, the shows may not bring in the numbers seen at The Great Yorkshire Show earlier this month – but they are equally as important.
Catherine Park Peyton, is chair of the Yorkshire Federation of Show Societies (YFSS) and says going to a village show is like “stepping back in time”.
She said: “The village show is one of those snapshots of time, a moment of pause where it is about families, enjoyment and peace – everything the world is not now.
“Farming never stops, agriculture never stops, but the whole point of agricultural shows in those early days was it was a day everybody had off. They had a huge pride in showing their pigs or cattle and would live off what they got for them. There was a feel good factor.
“We are almost stepping back in time by doing it, but it is good for our souls.”
In a fast-paced world dominated by social media, screens and AI – there is a feel good gravitation to things from days gone-by.
So much so, some village shows, which had for whatever reason dropped off the calendar, are making a comeback.
Aislaby is having a show this year for the first time since the 1970s with a core of village stalwarts, along with local residents and businesses bringing it all together – fittingly on Yorkshire Day.
Catherine Raistrick is one of the organisers.
She said: “It had stopped around 1975. I think they didn’t have enough people and things got expensive. There was a Whitby Show too and that stopped.
“Shows have changed from what they were and you have to go with it. For the Aislaby Show there has been an interest in people turning up and helping out with planning and wanting to put on more than one event.”
The Association of Agricultural Organisations (ASAO) estimates ten per cent of the UK population (around seven million people) attend agricultural shows on an annual basis. Research of its members found events generate an estimated annual income of £128.6m.
Local shows this season are:
August 1: Aislaby Show. Returning after a hiatus since the 1970s and to coincide with Yorkshire Day, there are classes for baking and photography, dog show, pub games and usual stalls. Around Aislaby Parish Hall, Main Road, Aislaby, YO21 1SW.
August 4: Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show. The oldest surviving gooseberry show in the country, established in 1800, with a set of rules unchanged over more than 200 years. Egton Manor, The Egton Estate, Egton Bridge, YO21 1UY.
August 5: Thornton-le-Dale Show. Taking place in one of the most picturesque villages in the North York Moors, the show celebrates its 105th anniversary this year. The Showfield, Maltongate, Thornton-le-Dale, YO18 7ZP.
August 7: Hinderwell Show. The 155th show in 2026 and said to have started to solve an argument between two local men over who had the best Cleveland Bay foal. The Show Ground, Hinderwell Lane, TS13 5HR.
August 8: Goathland Village Show. Extra classes added to cater for the amount of creatives living in the village, famous as the setting for police television series, Heartbeat. Goathland Village Hall, The Common, Goathland, YO22 5JR.
August 12: Danby Show. A true village show in the Esk Valley with livestock, horses, ferrets and rabbits as well as craft and produce sections. Off Longlands Lane, Danby, YO21 2NQ.
August 15: Rosedale Show. Founded in 1871, with the Abbey nearby, the show takes place with permission of local families featuring gundogs and hound trails. Milburn Arms Field at Rosedale Abbey, YO18 8RA.
August 22; Barnby Show. An annual traditional rural event featuring equine classes, a dog show and vintage machinery, with this year’s being the 120th event. Barnby Show Field, Wades Lane, East Barnby, YO21 3SA.
August 26: Egton Show. A show which goes ahead come rain or shine, enjoy horses, cows, sheep, vintage machinery and sheepdog trials. Egton Showfield, Egton, YO21 1TZ.
August 29: Bilsdale Show. A variety of attractions to showcase the skills and talents from Bilsdale and beyond at what will be the 114th show. Thornhill Farm, Chop Gate, Bilsdale, TS9 7JS.
September 5: Kildale Show. A show for family and tradition since 1881 with new sheep classes added last year to meet increased interest. Village Hall Field, Kildale, YO21 2RG.
September 5: Lealholm Show. A self-sufficient rural community in the 1800s, the annual show is a celebration of its farming, blacksmith, cobbling and butchery heritage. Lealholm Sports Field, Lealholm, YO21 2AQ.
September 12: Castleton Show. Marquee exhibits, dog show, football tournament and fancy dress as well as the Castleton Show Run, a 10k route through the North York Moors. Castleton Cricket Field, Castleton, YO21 2EX.
September 19: Stokesley Show. A proud local tradition and a highlight of the rural calendar for more than 166 years, attracting visitors and competitors from across North Yorkshire and beyond. The Showground, Helmsley Rd, Stokesley, TS9 5JL.
