West Somerset's premier agricultural event
Introduction
The Dunster Show follows a proud tradition of agricultural shows in the UK as a way to support the local agricultural community. As with most agricultural shows, the Dunster Show has a very long history with the very first edition established in 1847. Today, it’s regarded as the premier agricultural show in West Somerset. It’s a place of commerce as well as a way for people in rural areas to enjoy themselves. Many often see it as a family day considering the live bands, children’s activities and picnic areas. You can buy a delicious pasty and a cup of tea, then go and see some animal demonstrations. Animal competitions for horses, cattle and sheep are the main event for farmers and animal breeders. There are trade stands for just about everything – garden machinery, household items, old cars, trailers, baskets, saddles and pet supplies, ceramics and toys.
Logistics
The Dunster Show falls in the tradition of the one-day agricultural shows and has been historically held on the third Friday of August. This gives visitors a sense of tradition and makes it easy for all the locals to plan their visit. Doors open at 08:00 in the morning and everyone is free to come in and enjoy themselves. The trade show is put together by the Dunster Show Society, which is a local charity, and takes place right below Dunster Castle on a large open green park. The easiest way to reach the show grounds is to drive and there’s sufficient parking available at the Dunster Castle National Trust car park. If you’re coming from Taunton or Minehead, there’s bus line 28 that makes a direct stop right outside the agricultural show. Buses run consistently throughout the day and make it an easy way to commute.
What You Can Expect as an Exhibitor
• The Dunster Show is all about fun and leisure. The agriculture show has a very developed entertainment programme, which guarantees getting visitors in the mood to shop. You meet with locals and generate impressive income.
• Animals are at the heart of the Dunster Show. Alongside the animal competitions, there will be several parades during the day like the Horse Parade, the Parade of Hounds and the Grand Cattle Parade.
• Participation contributes to the development of agriculture in West Somerset as the sales of tickets immediately help fund students, who have decided to go into agriculture. Dunster Show Society has taken upon itself to pay bursaries to promising students, all funded from the proceedings of the show.
Audience & Statistics
The Dunster Show is the lifeline for the local economy in West Somerset and a natural center for all the local businesses and manufacturers to meet together. Last edition saw over 200 trade stands on the exhibition grounds and attendance ran over 5000 visitors altogether. That’s major foot traffic and a welcome activity for exhibitors. Visitors come together to enjoy live entertainment and do a little bit of shopping. Families with children find the Dunster Show irresistible thanks to the many fun activities like ferret racing, puppetry, fun fair and national festival circus. Farmers attend not just to compete, but also take part in the classes for horses, cattle and sheep. The Dunster Show itself is a registered charity and proceeds from ticket sales go into local organisations like Devon Air Ambulance, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, West Somerset Training Group, West Group YFC, Exmoor Hill Farming Network and FWAG.
Accommodation
Wherever you need to be, Trade Fair Trips ltd finds the right hotel for you. We’ve helped exhibitors book hotel accommodation for trade shows for over a decade and have perfected our service. Your budget and preference are what matter most. Our team works for you and handles every single detail of your hotel stay. Book hotels for the Dunster Show easily without paying a small fortune. That’s a promise we keep. We know all the best hotels, bed & breakfasts and camping grounds in and around Dunster. Do you need accommodation with stables? We have your back. Trade Fair Trips ltd has many other services for exhibitors. Clients often come to us when they need help in booking additional spaces like meeting rooms or building their show booth. We can hire a team to put together your fair stand. Do it quickly and it won’t cost you all that much.
Dunster Show & COVID
COVID-19 has made it impossible to host the Dunster Show two years in a row due to the rising infection rates and restrictions on large events. The Dunster Show Society is hard at work to plan the next live edition scheduled for 2022 in accordance with government guidelines. Organisers feel optimistic about Dunster Show 2022, because of the increase in vaccinations. The official date for the agricultural show is August 19th, 2022 – the third Friday of August as is tradition. Visitors and exhibitors can look forward to a safe environment at the grounds outside Dunster Castle complete with rigorous protective measures put in place.
