July dates for 2021 Devon County Show
THE Devon County Agricultural Association (DCAA) have announced that the 125th Devon County Show will be going ahead next year, writes Athwenna Irons.
Organisers of the flagship event - which was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic - say the three-day celebration of farming, local food and drink and countryside traditions will be held in July, a shift from the usual May dates.
Mary Quicke, chairman of the DCAA, said: “We are absolutely committed to holding our Devon County Show in 2021. We believe that, by moving the Devon County Show to early July, it will give more time for the restrictions to have eased, the roll out of a vaccine to take place and life to be getting back to normal.
“We know that our supporters and visitors really missed the Devon County Show this year, as we did, and we can’t wait to start planning for our 125th show.”
Mrs Quicke, who is perhaps best known as managing director of cheesemakers Quicke’s Traditional, based in Newton St Cyres, said the Devon County Show’s 90-acre showground at Westpoint near Exeter, this will allow “plenty of space” for social distancing.
Moving the show from its usual Thursday, Friday and Saturday schedule to a Friday, Saturday and Sunday for 2021 will also allow for the busy Saturday crowd to be spread over two days, she added.
Mrs Quicke continued: “We have taken care when choosing our new date to avoid clashing with other shows and events and are incredibly grateful to our sponsors and tradestands, who have carried forward their 2020 bookings to our 2021 show.”
The 2021 Devon County Show will take place over three days from Friday, July 2 to Sunday, July 4.