The 140th Nottinghamshire County Show will take place at Newark Showground and will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day
A VE Day parade is among a number of exciting new attractions being lined up as part of this year’s Nottinghamshire County Show.
The event, now in its 140th year, will take place on Saturday May 10 when thousands of people, hundreds of animals and many dozens of traders will descend on Newark Showground for what is billed as the biggest day in the county’s farming calendar.
Organisers are set to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, when the country received word that the war with Germany was over, in May 1945.
The parade will celebrate Nottinghamshire agriculture’s contribution to the war effort by helping keep wartime Britain from going hungry, which saw its fields tended by the Land Girls – the hundreds of women who volunteered to take on the jobs left behind when the men went off to war.
Elsewhere, there will be familiar favourites, including the ever-popular livestock competitions, food and drink stands, the Make, Bake and Grow section, the Nottinghamshire Young Farmers’ lawnmower race, equestrian events, and music acts.
A new act will be making its debut in the main ring, in the form of the Squibb Freestyle motorcycle stunt show, a daredevil display of speed and gravity-defying tricks.
There will also be a dog show, a family-friendly farmyard and friends section featuring miniature donkeys and animals from White Post Farm, countryside games and the community zone – a hub of activities showcasing county organisations, performers, bands, and musicians.
The Nottinghamshire County Show began life as the Newark Show in 1868, when a group of local farmers got together to meet up and show off their livestock. It has taken place ever since, apart from when life was affected by disruptions such as the world wars and the COVID-19 pandemic
The event is organised by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society. Show organiser, Elizabeth Halsall, said: “This year we wanted to celebrate the fact that this is our 140th show and mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, so we have planned events for both.
“The show will have changed a lot since 1868, but one thing has never changed and that’s the importance of the farming community to our way of life, which is why we go to such great lengths to celebrate it every year.
“It takes a year’s work to put the show together and we’re really pleased with what we’ve got in store for 2025. From the events in the main ring to the livestock competitions, the food and drink and the VE Day celebrations, there is plenty organised to give our visitors a full day out.”
Tickets are now on sale via the show’s website and are available at a discounted rate of £14 until May 2.
