The South of England Show

[Lady Whistledown]

Anyone ever been? Despite living within about ten miles or so for the greater part of my life, I've never actually been (well, I've got stuck in the traffic queues through Haywards Heath several times).

What's actually there? Is it all pedigree cows, tractor pulling and prize-winning marrows? Is there anything worth seeing?

Cheers

 

[banjo]

http://www.seas.org.uk/calendar/

Went years ago not sure what it's like nowadays ?

 

[Blues Rock DJ]

never policed it , Edna ? To answer your question, good day out, loads of stalls to spend your hard-earned money on, not just agriculturey (?) things.

 

[cardboard]

Went last year was good. Food halls, stalls selling all sorts, competitions, arts and crafts, stuntmen shows, animal shows. The kids loved it, so did we to be honest!

 

[dazzer6666]

never policed it , Edna ? To answer your question, good day out, loads of stalls to spend your hard-earned money on, not just agriculturey (?) things.

Yeah, this. Wouldn't go every year but worth a visit every so often. Loads of stall/shops, great food court, shows on the go all the time. Not good if it's raining though.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

never policed it , Edna ?

Nah, not really worked in that area until recently.

Hey, wait. Wine-producing is agriculture, isn't it? Will there be wine?

 

[cardboard]

yep wine, beer, loads of food

 

[Lady Whistledown]

yep wine, beer, loads of food

Sold

I've just looked at the website and noticed there are beekeeping demonstrations. [MENTION=236]Papa Lazarou[/MENTION], are you reading this?

 

[Superphil]

There are usually some immense testes to be viewed hanging under a variety of livestock

 

[Lady Whistledown]

There are usually some immense testes to be viewed hanging under a variety of livestock

A load of bullocks?

 

[Superphil]

A load of bullocks?

And then some, those Rams have it going on too

 

[Guinness Boy]

Sounds better than the East of England show I used to get taken to as a small child as it was near my Grandmother's. That had tractors, steam engines, speedway and people who had left their sister to marry their auntie. Everything was priced in round pounds because if anything had cost 95p you would have got an extra penny at every stall when they counted the change on their fingers.

 

[bristolseagull]

It's shit, save for the cider tents.

 

[blue'n'white]

Been to the other shows they have there which are pretty good but, as mentioned above, not a lot of fun when it's wet !
Compared to the other shows they have there it is quite expensive to get in.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Lived in Ardingly for 12 years 5 of them in the old police house ,Edna!

The show is great but I enjoy the steam rally and smallholders show better.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Went many years ago and as suggested, back then it was very much the green wellie and Barbour set all coming together, displaying their prize friesians and other assorted rural wares. Sounds like there is more variety for everyone these days judging by the comments.

One thing I doubt has changed: The queues to get in during the morning. It took well over an hour of slow moving traffic near Ardingly village before we got into the showgrounds.

 

[JOLovegrove]

I have had the privilege of being a car parker there for the weekend. Nothing quite like getting shouted at by a middle class ex farmer who doesn't want to park down the bottom of the hill because his new Range River will get muddy. And it's funny, every other person seems to have just had an operation, and therefore needs to park right near the gate.

For the show itself, its decent. Loads to do and the food is good. Weather has to be nice though or it is just one large swamp.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I have had the privilege of being a car parker there for the weekend. Nothing quite like getting shouted at by a middle class ex farmer who doesn't want to park down the bottom of the hill because his new Range River will get muddy. And it's funny, every other person seems to have just had an operation, and therefore needs to park right near the gate.

For the show itself, its decent. Loads to do and the food is good. Weather has to be nice though or it is just one large swamp.

I think it looks OK for this week, so fingers crossed.

 

[surrey jim]

Went there loads as a kid and used to bore the socks off me. Went last year and many of the events/stalls and attractions are now geared more towards children. There was also lots of sampling to be done in the food halls etc.

As people above have pointed out, not much fun in the wet. Car parks are basically just a field. I recall one year our car needing to be pulled out by a tractor it was so bad.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

We used to go every year as kids, for the dog show. It always seemed a really big event back then, would probably be dissappointed now