Weather fails to dampen the spirits at Newport Show
The organisers of this year’s Newport Show have declared it a rousing success with thousands of people turning out for the annual event.
Show President Martin Hall said the 107th show on Saturday was “one of the best yet” despite early downpours in the morning.
The show has grown from its original agricultural brief to include a horse and dog show, Festival of Food, family entertainment, vintage vehicle and machinery displays, live music, trade stands, antique stalls, schools marquee, handicraft and horticulture competitions, and fairground rides on the site at the Chetwynd Deer Park.
The dog show, which included Crufts qualifying classes, recorded its largest ever number of entries.
Celebrity chef Nadiya Hussain, who won last year’s Great British Bake Off, proved popular at the newly expanded Festival of Food, attracting the biggest ever crowds to live demonstrations in the food theatre.
She cooked up recipes from her new book including Bengali Chicken Korma and lemon Palmiers and talked about how life has changed since she scooped the title on the hit BBC show.
Nadiya gave a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what happens when filming the show and shared her thoughts on her new life as a celebrity.
Mr Hall said: “Newport Show has remained true to its farming roots but we have listened to what people want and developed an event that offers from something for everyone.
“Agriculture still plays an important part though. The livestock and equine classes had brilliant turnouts and it’s very much a fixture in the farming calendar for people from Shropshire, Staffordshire and beyond.
“Expanding the Festival of Food this year allowed us to follow the journey from farm to fork and offer a wealth of new activities. Nadiya delighted visitors with her demonstrations and meeting them at her book signing. Every corner of the showground was packed with something to do or see and it was bustling with people who weren’t put off by the early rain.”
Mr Hall, who will retire from his year in post in September, paid tribute to the volunteers and stewards who helped with the smooth running of the event.
“Newport Show is very much a community event and is organised by a small team, backed by a dedicated committee who work hard throughout the year to put together a fabulous day’s entertainment.
“The weather conditions at the start of the day were challenging but everyone worked very hard to help the show run smoothly. We are supported by a vast army of volunteers without whom we couldn’t operate and I would like to record our thanks to each and everyone of them.”
The 2017 show will be on Saturday 8th July.
