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Category: Malvern Autumn Show

Nine exciting reasons to visit the 2024 Malvern Autumn Show

Malvern Autumn Show, taking place from 27th – 29th September at Three Counties Showground is the UK’s largest harvest celebration and this year’s show promises to be bigger and better than ever with a jampacked programme, full of exciting things to see and do. Here’s nine reasons why this year’s show is not to be missed:

1. Feast your eyes on giant, showstopping vegetables:

Adults and children alike can feast their eyes on giant produce, take photos next to them to show their sheer scale and find out exactly what it takes to grow such impressive crops!

Supersized vegetables will be on display in the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship, a renowned source of new Guinness World Records for spectacularly large crops.

Amongst the impressive selection of vast veg will include the world’s heaviest pumpkins, longest runner beans and biggest chilli peppers, just some of the 31 adult classes that can be entered by enthusiasts in what is fondly known as the ‘world cup of giant vegetable growing’. This year’s competition will include a class for the heaviest cantaloupe melon, with a whopping £1,000 of prize money for the winner.

2. Grow your knowledge and plant collection:

There is so much beauty to be marvelled at throughout the show, packed full of horticultural delights and impressive displays, appealing to those just starting out or well-seasoned growers.

The Gardening Village will be filled with impressive floral displays and seasonal bargains, and where green fingered visitors will be eyeing up next season’s inspiration.

The RHS Flower Show in the Floral Marquee is not to be missed! This year’s show will see some 65 specialist nurseries selling a wide range of plants and bulbs, with plenty of choice for sensational spring displays. Visitors can explore the Plant Village and Bulb Market, browsing the impressive selection from renowned suppliers.

One of the UKs largest Harvest Pavilions, this one is a true celebration of ‘growing your own’, with ‘The Grow to Show’ section attracting 1,500 entries in over 100 different classes for everything from cut flowers, vegetables, fruit, alpine succulents to pot plants and more. The National Plant Societies will be on hand to share their passion and knowledge on growing the perfect specimen, giving budding gardeners the chance to enter next year.

The Floral Art section is home to delightful displays created by talented floral arrangers. These stunning works of art will not only be a real visual treat for passers-by, but they will be judged as part of a competition organised by The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS). The competition is taking place to find new talent in addition to the annual event staged at Malvern, the 2024 theme for which is ‘A Canopy of Colour’. Each competitor will be exhibiting a display titled ‘Razzamatazz’. The overall winner of the NAFAS Floral Art competition will have the opportunity to represent NAFAS at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2025.

3. Familiar faces and special guests:

Hosting the Garden Theatre at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show will be BBC Radio Two and Escape to the Country presenter, Nicki Chapman. Special guests joining Nicki on stage throughout the weekend include BBC Gardeners’ World presenters, Adam Frost (Friday), Rachel de Thame (Saturday) and Arit Anderson (Sunday), celebrity florist and regular floral expert on ITV’s Love Your Weekend, Jonathan Moseley (Friday – Sunday), gardener, author, broadcaster and plant-based nature therapist, Ellen Mary (Friday – Sunday), and former Blue Peter gardener and head of horticulture for Garden Organic, Chris Collins (Sunday). Visitors can expect to pick up top tips on preparing for a beautiful spring garden, how to introduce seasonal colour over the autumn and winter months, the best late season edibles to plant, as well as the popular Gardener’s Question Time.

Broadcaster and writer Martin Fish, will return to the show to host The Potting Shed theatre, located in the Harvest Pavilion, from Friday – Sunday, joined by a variety of guests throughout the weekend.

Also joining this year’s Malvern Autumn Show line up will be Chris Bavin. Well-known for his appearances in BBC’s Eat Well For Less, The Truth About Meat, Shop Well for the Planet, Best Home Cook, The One Show, Escape To The Country and Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing, Chris has also published two cookbooks and is a passionate advocate of fresh produce, reducing food waste, zero packaging and increasing fruit and veg consumption.

4. On your marks, get set, bake!

Brand new for this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, cake lovers everywhere will rejoice and celebrate this Bake-Off inspired feature. The Great Malvern Cake Off tent will be hosted by Chris Bavin, who will be joined by some well-known faces from popular series of BBC and Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off, including Briony May Williams from 2018’s series (Sunday), Giuseppe Dell’Anno (Friday and Saturday), Lizzie Acker (Friday and Saturday), and Freya Cox (Sunday), the first Vegan baker on the show, all from 2021’s series.

As well as Q&A sessions, visitors can enjoy cake and dessert baking demos, and fun challenges and competitions, including technical challenges and race against the clock competitions. Budding baking afficionados can even join in by entering themselves or their own bakes into competitions, or simply sit back, soak up the sweet-smelling atmosphere and enjoy the fun!

5. Bring your four-legged friends along:

For the very first time, visitors to Malvern Autumn Show on Sunday 29th September only can bring their four-legged friend along to enjoy the seasonal fun!

Welcoming well-behaved dogs on short, non-retractable leads, there will be a dedicated Dog Show held in the World of Animals area, with fun, informal categories such as ‘waggiest tail’ and ‘dog most like it’s owner’ that visitors can enter or simply watch and enjoy the fun (pre-entry not required). The Dog Show will be judged by author, TV presenter, and qualified dog behaviourist, Leon Towers AKA The Dogs Voice.  Also featuring in the Garden Theatre on Sunday with a special Q&A, titled ‘How to Fix Your Dog’, with Nicki Chapman.

Sunday dog entry tickets are free and need to be booked in advance at https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/ (With the exception of assistance dogs, no dogs will  be permitted for entry on Friday or Saturday at the show).

6. Enjoy the all-new Tipple Zone:

More new features at this year’s show include the Tipple Zone (in collaboration with Piston Distillery), where visitors can enjoy samples from leading spirit, cider and rum producers as well as the opportunity to chat to them about their craft, purchase bottles to take home and enjoy live music.

Close by in the Food Festival, tasty treats will be available courtesy of a range of outstanding street food caterers, including the Beefy Boys and Roly Poly Eats.

The ever-popular Cider Garden, courtesy of Westons Cider Mill, will be returning, offering weary legs a comfy spot for some R&R in the heart of the showground. Visitors can pull up a seat and enjoy a refreshing tipple of Hereford’s finest.

7. Go back in time at the Vintage Village:

Visitors will be transported back in time to the golden days at the Vintage Village, back for this year’s show with a bigger area featuring live bands performing toe-tapping music throughout the long weekend.

Dance fans can partake in one of the free dance lessons throughout the weekend and learn dances from the 40s and 50s. An extra special guest at this year’s show, former Strictly Come Dancing star, actor, professional dancer and choreographer, Kevin Clifton will dazzle visitors with his dancing skills at the Vintage Village on Saturday. For fans of Strictly, this is the chance to learn some dance moves from one of the very best! Kevin will also be joining Nicki Chapman on stage at the Garden Theatre for a general Q&A session.   

Dressing up is encouraged and those who do will have the chance to enter and win the ‘Best Dressed’ competition, or dress up in clothing from 1940s/50s at the show and take part in a ‘Parade by Decade’.

For those visiting with youngsters, the Vintage Fairground, making its debut at Malvern Autumn Show this year, is not to be missed! There will be plenty of fun for all the family, including dodgems, a ferris wheel, hook-a-duck games, a vintage toy vehicle ride, a children’s carousel, tin can alley, a rifle range, funny mirrors and swing boats! After all that action, families can enjoy bargain hunting in the new antiques arcade, located in Wye Hall – a treasure trove of tastefully curated antiques, retro and vintage finds.

8. Shop ‘til you drop:

A unique shopping experience awaits at this year’s show where shoppers will find end of season bargains, horticultural goods, handmade crafts, vintage treasures, top quality artisan food and drink, plus so much more!

A specialist indoor food market will be the place to pick up tasty treats to take home. Local artisan producers offering a range of sweet and savoury foods, as well as international snacks will be found here including Three Bears Bakery, Café Cannoli, Top Barn Farm Shop and Croome Cuisine Cheeses.

Supporters of independent food and drink, the Great Taste Market will also be making a return this year, as part of a collaboration with the Guild of Fine Foods. Exhibitors attending include Nonya’s Secrets, Scottish Honeyberry Growers and Bay Coffee Company.

Visitors shopping for the garden will be spoilt for choice as bulbs, seeds and beautiful blooms will all be available to purchase in both the Plant Village and RHS Flower Show marquee. The free Plant Creche and Porter Service allows visitors to enjoy the rest of the day without having their hands full, and their purchases to be transported back to the car before leaving the show.

The indoor shopping halls are a great place to find one-of-a-kind craft items, from over 150 arts and crafts exhibitors from the Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Cotswold Guilds (groups of professional, local designer-makers) to the Boffy Arts Market – a high-quality market with over 200 designer makers on its books including jewellers, wood turners, sculptures and metalsmiths.

9. Explore the World of Animals:

For those visiting Malvern Autumn Show with children, there is plenty to keep kids of all ages entertained. The Family Green will host an exciting range of free entertainment and activities, including pedal tractors, a climbing wall on Saturday, a caving experience on Sunday and rural crafts, as well as the World of Animals area, where children can get up close to meet an array of friendly animals, including dogs, miniature ponies, pygmy goats and sheep.

Also new for this year, there will be an interactive area where visitors can meet rabbits and learn more about the adorable long eared animals and how to care for them, brought to the show by Cheltenham Animal Rescue.

The extremely popular Exotic Animals area will return to this year’s show, offering the chance to learn more about fascinating and unusual creatures, including reptiles, birds and mammals.

Tickets for Malvern Autumn Show 27th – 29th September 2024 cost £20 in advance, with children aged 16 and under free of charge, and are available to book here: https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/

From RHS medal-winning flowers to the world’s largest vegetables, this year’s Malvern Autumn Show promises to be a highlight in the horticultural calendar 

Buckets of inspiration and bags of expert advice will be available to gardeners at this year’s much anticipated Malvern Autumn Show, held from 27th – 29th September at Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

From enormous vegetables and fabulous flowers to a veritable emporium of plants, bulbs, seeds, tools and equipment, not to mention great insights and tips from some of the best-known personalities in the horticultural world, the UK’s largest harvest season celebration is not to be missed.

Marvel at the supersized produce on display in the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship a renowned source of new Guinness World Records for spectacularly large crops. See the world’s heaviest pumpkins, longest runner beans and biggest chilli peppers, just some of the 31 adult classes that can be entered by enthusiasts in what is fondly known as the world cup of giant vegetable growing. This year’s competition will include a class for the heaviest cantaloupe melon, with a whopping £1,000 of prize money for the winner.

Elsewhere there will be Grow to Show classes in the Harvest Pavilion, where amateur growers of fruit, flowers and vegetables will compete to garner awards for quality entries in more than 100 individual classes, the winners of which will go through to compete for the coveted ‘Best in Section’ accolade.

The RHS Flower Show in the Floral Marquee will be attended by over 40 specialist nurseries and growers, who will be creating spectacular displays and offering expert advice and opportunities to buy top quality plants.

Those who enjoy floral art are in for a special treat, with a competition organised by The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) to find new talent in addition to the annual event staged at Malvern, the 2024 theme for which is ‘A Canopy of Colour’. NAFAS has some 30,000 members, split into 17 regions, each of which will be represented by the winners of individual competitions. Each will be exhibiting a display titled ‘Razzamatazz’.

This year’s show will see some 65 specialist nurseries selling a wide range of plants and bulbs, with plenty of choice for sensational spring displays. Peruse the Plant Village and Bulb Market to see a huge selection from renowned suppliers, such as Petrichor Bulb Specialists, Hillyards of Oundle, HW Hyde and Son and Pheasant Acre Nurseries, all in one place.

Exhibiting for the first time in the Plant Village will be Malvern Salvia Collection, a specialist grower with a passion for salvias. Rob Edwards is on a mission to make gardeners aware of the many hardy cultivars of this colourful and often fragrant perennial. He grows more than 50 varieties and keeps a keen eye on the work of French breeders coming up with new salvias able to cope with lower temperatures. Rob, whose nursery is just 10 minutes from the Three Counties Showground, will be bringing along cultivars such as the red ‘Royal Bumble’, deep purple ‘Nachtvlinder’ and the tall purple ‘Amistad’.

“There are more than 1,000 different varieties of salvia and many are so hardy and easy to grow,” says Rob, who will be helped at the show by his brother Andrew.  “They like a sunny spot with free-draining soil and do well in pots if the garden tends to be on the wetter side. As well as coping with cooler temperatures, they are drought tolerant too.

“Salvias are a member of the mint family, although their roots are less invasive. Some varieties send out runners, but you can just break them off and make new plants.

“Salvias look lovely in borders and make great companion plants: when their leaves heat up in the sun they provide a natural fungicide and are great from deterring aphids from roses and pests from vegetables.

“They’re such good doers, with so many different varieties and colours. I just want to encourage people to enjoy them and I’m really excited to be bringing them along to Malvern Autumn Show, an event I’ve always visited every year.”

For those who would rather not carry around bags bulging with purchases, there will be a free plant crèche and porter service, offering a safe place to store pots before they’re conveniently transported to cars when it’s time to leave.

Horticultural heroes love the Malvern Autumn Show and there will be plenty of well-known gardening experts to see and hear at this year’s event. Expect plenty of top tips on preparing for a beautiful spring garden, introducing seasonal colour over the autumn and winter months, and the best late season edibles to plant.

BBC Radio 2 and Escape to the Country presenter Nicki Chapman will be hosting the Garden Theatre throughout the weekend. On Friday she’ll be joined by BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost, with Rachel De Thame on Saturday and Arit Anderson on Sunday.

Celebrity florist and floral expert on BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge Jonathan Moseley and gardener, author, broadcaster and plant-based nature therapist Ellen Mary will be at the show every day, while Garden Organic’s Head of Horticulture Chris Collins, well known to generations of children as a former Blue Peter gardener, will be speaking on Sunday.

Several of the experts will also come together for a Gardeners’ Question Time during the show.

Gardening consultant and broadcaster Martin Fish will return to Malvern Autumn Show to host The Potting Shed theatre, located in the Harvest Pavilion, and he’ll be joined by a variety of guests throughout the weekend.

Tickets for Malvern Autumn Show 2024 cost just £20 in advance, with children under 16 free of charge, and are available to book here: https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/

Malvern Autumn Show unveils its iconic Giant Red Apple with the UK’s largest garden centre operator

The UK’s largest harvest celebration, Malvern Autumn Show taking place from 27th-29th September at Three Counties Showground in association with Westons, has partnered with the South West’s flagship Dobbies store in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, to launch the 2024 Giant Red Apple Tour, which runs until September across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire.

The UK’s biggest harvest celebration, the Malvern Autumn Show is well known forginormous fruit and vegetables, as it’s home to the internationally recognised CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championship and to celebrate the Guiness World Recording breaking annual event, the high-profile event is touring a large-scale rosy red apple, artfully decorated with seasonal produce by Worcestershire artist Anna Best.

A selfie magnet for visitors to Dobbies Cirencester, the apple is an impressive sight at the entrance to the large store, measuring just over 8ft in height and weighing in at a whopping seventy-five kilos. It will undoubtedly provide local shoppers in Cirencester with lots of photo opportunities over the coming weeks, as a beacon for the country’s largest autumnal event.

Sam Field, General Manager at Dobbies Cirencester, commented: “We are proud to support Malvern Autumn Show, as one of the UK’s largest horticultural shows, it’s the perfect place here at Dobbies Cirencester, where we offer a huge array of plants, shrubs, trees and outdoor living accessories. The Giant Red Apple is a fantastic sight greeting everyone when they arrive at our store and we hope it gives people a little seasonal inspiration, as we begin to prepare for the coming season.”

Malvern Autumn Show is athree-day seasonal extravaganza held at the Three Counties Showground, in association with Westons from 27 – 29 September 2024, with a whole host of celebrity chefs, gardening experts, theatres, immersive experiences and interactive demonstrations.

The show features an unmissable line-up showcasing the country’s best-known expert horticulturalists and foodie personalities, including BBC Gardeners World presenters Adam Frost and Arit Anderson, plus Great British Bake-Off stars Briony May Williams, Lizzie Acker and Guiseppe Dell’Anno, all starring in the brand-new Great Malvern Cake Off, plus Strictly star Kevin Clifton to headline in the vintage tent!

Next on the Giant Apple Tour itinerary is Webbs of Wychbold in  Worcestershire, with the super-sized decorative installation arriving on 19th August to 4th September, followed by the final stop of the tour 4th September to 25th September at Oakchurch in Hereford.

Exciting new features announced for this year’s Malvern Autumn Show

Malvern Autumn Show, the UK’s largest harvest season celebration, will make a triumphant return to Three Counties Showground this autumn (27 – 29 September 2024), with a programme bursting with seasonal fun, including a host of new and unique experiences for visitors to enjoy.

1. Brand-new ‘Dog Day’

This year, visitors to Malvern Autumn Show on Sunday 29th September can bring their four-legged friend along with them to enjoy the seasonal fun! For the very first time, the show will trial a brand new ‘dog day’ on Sunday, welcoming well-behaved dogs on short, non-retractable leads. There will be a dedicated Dog Show held in the World of Animals area, with fun, informal categories such as ‘waggiest tail’ and ‘dog most like it’s owner’ that visitors can enter or simply watch and enjoy the fun (pre-entry not required). Sunday dog entry tickets are free and need to be booked in advance at https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/ (With the exception of assistance dogs, all other dogs will not be permitted for entry on Friday or Saturday at the show).

2. The Great Malvern Cake Off

Another exciting new feature at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, The Great Malvern Cake Off tent will host well-known faces from previous series of BBC and Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off, including Briony May Williams from 2018’s series (Sunday), and Giuseppe Dell’Anno from 2021’s series (Friday and Saturday). As well as Q&A sessions, visitors can enjoy seasonal cake and dessert baking demos, and fun challenges and competitions, including technical challenges and race against the clock competitions. Visitors can join in by entering into competitions (via malvernautumn.co.uk/compete), or simply sit back, soak up the sweet-smelling atmosphere and enjoy watching the fun!

3. CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships

It wouldn’t be the Malvern Autumn Show if there weren’t a feast of giant fruit, vegetables and legumes to marvel at! The crowd-pleasing, Guinness World Records-breaking (and internationally renowned) CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships is set to make a spectacular return to this year’s show. This year, the competition will be held in the newly built indoor Kildare Hall, and visitors will be able to peruse everything from super-sized pumpkins to giant watermelons.

4. All new Tipple Zone in collaboration with Piston Distillery

Visitors to this year’s Malvern Autumn Show can enjoy a refreshing drink in the brand-new Tipple Zone. Headlined by Worcestershire-born Piston Distillery, visitors can find out more about how they craft their award-winning spirits as well as get up close to admire their magnificent vintage cars on display. This is the perfect place to enjoy a cold drink while you soak up the atmosphere and enjoy live music. Visitors can also sample a range of spirits to purchase and enjoy at home.

5. Vintage Fun

For those visiting with youngsters, you won’t want to miss the Vintage Fairground, which makes its debut at Malvern Autumn Show this year. There will be plenty of fun for all the family, including dodgems, a ferris wheel, hook a duck games, a vintage toy vehicle ride, a children’s carousel, tin can alley, a rifle range, funny mirrors and swingboats! After all that action, enjoy bargain hunting in the new antiques arcade – a treasure trove of tastefully curated antiques, retro and vintage finds.

6. World of Animals

The popular World of Animals area will return once again to this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, and this year visitors can enjoy a new ‘Dog & Duck’ display. Using both trained and untrained sheep dogs, expert handlers will herd ducks and sheep in a friendly, fun demonstration, amusing and educating the audience about common dog behaviour issues and offering advice on how these can be resolved. Not only that, visitors can get up close to meet an array of friendly animals, including dogs, miniature ponies, pygmy goats and sheep.

In addition to this, special guests including BBC Radio Two and Escape to the Country presenter, Nicki Chapman and BBC Gardeners’ World presenters Adam Frost and Rachel de Thame, will take to the stage to share seasonal gardening and growing tips, while former Strictly Come Dancing star, Kevin Clifton, will dazzle visitors with his dancing skills at the Vintage Village on Saturday. Plus, the popular RHS Flower Show will bring a riot of colour and fragrance with dazzling seasonal blooms, as some of the UK’s best nurseries and growers compete for recognition from the esteemed RHS judges.

Tickets for Malvern Autumn Show 2024 cost £20 in advance, with children under 16 free of charge, and are available to book here: https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/

Horticultural heroes and gastronomic greats to feature at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show

A feast of familiar faces from the worlds of horticulture and baking will take to the stages at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show (27 – 29 September 2024 at Three Counties Showground), sharing their insights and expertise on everything from how to grow your own fruits, vegetables and flowers, to how to use what you’ve grown to create delicious dishes.

Malvern Autumn Show is one of the UK’s biggest annual harvest season celebrations, featuring the showstopping CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships (which each year sees new Guinness World Records set for spectacularly large crops), the prestigious RHS Flower Show, over 100 different Grow to Show classes to see in the Harvest Pavillion, plus barrows full of family fun and epicurean delights.

Hosting the Garden Theatre at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show will be BBC Radio Two and Escape to the Country presenter, Nicki Chapman. Special guests joining Nicki on stage throughout the weekend include BBC Gardeners’ World presenters, Adam Frost (Friday) and Rachel de Thame (Saturday), celebrity florist and floral expert on BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge, Jonathan Moseley (Friday – Sunday), gardener, author, broadcaster and plant-based nature therapist, Ellen Mary (Friday – Sunday), and former Blue Peter gardener and head of horticulture for Garden Organic, Chris Collins (Sunday). Visitors can expect to pick up top tips on preparing for a beautiful spring garden, how to introduce seasonal colour over the autumn and winter months, the best late season edibles to plant, as well as the popular Gardener’s Question Time.

Gardening consultant and broadcaster, Martin Fish, will return to the show to host The Potting Shed theatre, located in the Harvest Pavillion, from Friday – Sunday, joined by a variety of guests throughout the weekend.

A brand-new feature for this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, The Great Malvern Cake Off tent will host well-known faces from popular series of BBC and Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off, including Briony May Williams from 2018’s series (Sunday), and Giuseppe Dell’Anno from 2021’s series (Friday and Saturday). As well as Q&A sessions, visitors can enjoy cake and dessert baking demos, and fun challenges and competitions, including technical challenges and race against the clock competitions. Budding baking afficionados can even join in by entering themselves or their own bakes into competitions!

An extra special guest at this year’s show, former Strictly Come Dancing star, actor, professional dancer and choreographer, Kevin Cliton will dazzle visitors with his dancing skills at the Vintage Village on Saturday. For fans of Strictly, this is your chance to live out your dream as you can join Kevin and learn some dance moves from one of the very best! Kevin will also be joining Nicki Chapman on stage at the Garden Theatre on Saturday for a general Q&A session.   

More new features at this year’s show include the Tipple Zone, where visitors can enjoy samples from leading spirit, cider and beer producers as well as the opportunity to chat to them about their craft, purchase bottles to take home and enjoy live music. A brand new ‘dog day’ on Sunday 29th September will welcome visitors who’d like to bring their well-behaved dogs on short, non-retractable leads with them to enjoy the show. There will also be a dedicated Dog Show with fun, informal categories such as ‘waggiest tail’ and ‘softest coat’. Sunday dog entry tickets are free and need to be booked in advance at https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/ (With the exception of assistance dogs, all other dogs will not be permitted for entry on Friday or Saturday at the show).

As always, Malvern Autumn Show will offer visitors plenty of botanical inspiration, and the Floral Marquee will once again be bursting with seasonal colour, plus top-quality plants, flowers and bulbs to purchase. The Bulb Market will also house an array of interesting bulbs, plants and flowers to shop, and the free plant creche and porter service will free visitors up to enjoy the show while their purchases are stored safely and conveniently transported back to cars when it’s time to leave.

For those visiting Malvern Autumn Show with children, there is plenty to keep kids of all ages entertained. The Family Green will host an exciting range of free entertainment and activities, including pedal tractors, a climbing wall and rural crafts, as well as the World of Animals area, where children can meet animals aplenty. Tickets for Malvern Autumn Show 2024 cost £20 in advance, with children under 16 free of charge, and are available to book here: https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/

Apply to dress a stage at the Malvern Autumn Show

Are you a passionate creative that is looking for a new challenge to showcase your stage dressing and interior design talent?

We’re on the look-out for someone who can inject some added brilliance into our Garden Theatre:

Malvern Autumn Show is one of the UK’s biggest annual harvest season celebrations, featuring the showstopping CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships (which each year sees new Guinness World Records set for spectacularly large crops), the prestigious RHS Flower Show with Garden Theatre within, over 100 different Grow to Show classes to see in the Harvest Pavilion, plus barrows full of family fun and epicurean delights.

About the Stage

The Garden Theatre at Malvern Autumn is one of the highest footfall areas and most photographed areas of the Showground, setting a beautiful foreground for our Special Guests  familiar faces from the world of horticulture and beyond sharing their insights and expertise through their talks and demonstrations.

Important information

A celebration of harvest: Horticulture is at the heart of Malvern Autumn Show and we’d like to see this celebrated throughout the stage design as the dominant theme. We’d love to see the use of autumnal accents such as pumpkins and gourds and seasonal British blooms as well as structural height provided by an attractive backdrop.

Build-up begins at midday Monday 23 September and must be complete by 7pm Thursday 26 September.

Breakdown can begin at 6:15pm Sunday 29 September and must be cleared by midday Monday 30th September. The Showground does not accept responsibility for items used in set dressing.

Exhibitors must remove or put in the bins on site all items brought onsite, including rubbish and building materials etc.

How to apply

We’re asking all those eager to apply to submit their designs to Charlie Gwynne, Shows & Horticulture Executive: charlie.gwynne@threecounties.co.uk

This should include:

  • Proposed furniture & prop choices.
  • Flower/plant list including colours and/or themes.
  • A sketch/mood board of your design, with dimensions
  • Explain how you will achieve the design without floral foam.

Please ensure no banned plants/flowers are included in your design. The banned plant list can be found here.

If you know someone who would be ideal for this opportunity, or you think you could be the perfect fit, then click here to download the full factsheet.

Malvern Autumn Show rolls out its new Giant Red Apple

How do you like them apples?

Pictured L-R: Kate Dufton – Malvern Autumn Show Lead, Daisy Allen, David Prescott and Suzi Freely – Three Counties and Helen Weston – Westons Cider.

Much Marcle, Herefordshire

They say that the apple never falls far from the tree and that is definitely the case with Helen Weston, the great granddaughter of Westons founder Henry Weston, who heads up the famous cider makers. Helen and her team are proud Herefordians and keen supporters of the local Three Counties Showground in nearby Malvern, having a long association with Malvern Autumn Show they were only too happy to unveil the new giant apple at their Much Marcle factory.

The UK’s biggest harvest celebration, the Malvern Autumn Show has rolled out a giant 8ft apple in celebration of this year’s event. The ginormous rosy fruit couldn’t have been more at home when it was launched earlier this week by the head of Westons Cider, Helen Weston, at the cider makers UK headquarters in Herefordshire.

A selfie magnet for visitors to Westons Cider, the apple towers at over 8ft in height and weighs in at a whopping 75 kilos and will provide visitors to Much Marcle with lots of photo opportunities over the coming weeks, as a beacon for the country’s largest autumnal event.

Malvern Autumn Show Festival is athree-day seasonal extravaganza held at the Three Counties Showground, in association with Westons Cider from 22 – 24 September 2023, with a whole host of celebrity chefs, gardening experts, theatres, immersive experiences and interactive demonstrations.

The show features an unmissable line-up showcasing the country’s best-known expert horticulturalists and foodie personalities, including BBC Gardeners World presenters Adam Frost and Arit Anderson, plus celebrated authors Arthur Parkinson, Ben Dark and Kiran Sidhu and Great British Bake-Off stars Crystelle Pereira and Jurgen Krauss, alongside their fellow champion baker and Strictly star John Whaite.

Next on the Giant Apple Tour itinerary is John Lewis in Cheltenham, with the giant welly arriving on 24th August to 4th September, followed by Gloucester Quays from 4th September to 14th September and finally to Crowngate Shopping Centre in Worcester from 14th September to 21st September.

Pots of inspiration for cooking and gardening will be served up by a wealth of special guests at the Malvern Autumn Show.

Well-known faces and rising stars will be coming together at the event, which takes place at the Three Counties Showground on September 22, 23 and 24. The much-loved seasonal showcase is hosting the biggest group of authors, presenters and celebrities the event has ever seen!

A variety of cuisines will be on offer in the Kitchen Theatre, award-winning food and garden writer and photographer Mark Diacono will host for the 3 days, with demonstrations and information-packed talks from chefs, cooks and food experts. Don’t miss Expert forager Liz Knight, author of Forage: Wild Plant to Gather, Cook and Eat, will be appearing on Friday and Sunday and Helen Rebanks from the Lake District will be sharing her love and enthusiasm for food and farming with some delicious dishes. Familiar faces from the Great British Bake Off (GBBO) will be among some of the UK’s best-selling food and drink authors appearing in the Kitchen Theatre during a brand new Octopus Publishing takeover on Saturday, September 23.

Join Arthur Parkinson and Blanche Vaughan for a debate called Vegetable Versus Flower Gardening. Kew Gardens-trained Arthur’s new book Planting a Paradise, which is published in October, is an inspirational guide to growing flamboyant blooms for humans and bees. He is the designer of a garden for the Emma Bridgewater factory in Staffordshire which, like the accompanying book The Pottery Gardener, received wide acclaim. He followed up with The Flower Yard, which was one of the Times Best Gardening Books of 2021. He’s a guest presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World, writes about keeping poultry and co-hosts the Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange podcast with Sarah Raven. Blanche Vaughan is a food writer and chef who worked at the River Café, Moro and St John. Her books include One Pot and Egg and itsu: the cookbook, which she wrote with Julian Metcalfe, while her latest, House & Garden A Year in the Kitchen, is published in September. Blanche is the food editor at House & Garden magazine.

Chef-turned-food and travel photographer Joe Woodhouse, whose More Daily Veg is published in September, will be discussing how to make vegetables the star of the meal with GBBO contestant Crystelle Pereira. Crystelle, the writer of Flavour Kitchen, was raised in London by Kenyan-born Portuguese-Goan parents and was included in the Vanity Fair list of Best Performances of 2021. Flavour Kitchen, published in May, showcases easy recipes using the most vibrant and exciting flavours.

John Whaite won the third series of GBBO and was runner up in the 2021 series of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, on which he made history by being the show’s first all-male pairing. He’s written five cookery books and a memoir Dancing on Eggshells, published on August 24. At Malvern John will be sharing stories and memories through food.

Learn about Christmas traditions and how to prepare for your best festive season yet with The Ginger Pig Rebecca Seal and GBBO’s Jürgen Krauss. Rebecca has written 10 cook books, including seven produced in collaboration with the restaurant group LEON. Her latest is Ginger Pig Christmas Cook Book, which comes out in October. Jürgen, who won the hearts of many during GBBO’s 2021 season, hails from the Black Forest but now lives in Brighton. His German Baking, a celebrating of German home baking, is published in August.

Discover how to make cocktails in 60 seconds with ‘The World’s Best Spirits’ Joel Ridley and Neil Harrison/ how to match cocktails with canapes with Rebecca Seal. Joel and Neil are at the forefront of providing expertise and innovation within the drinks world and are regulars on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. Their latest book is 60 Second Cocktails.

The popular Garden Theatre will return for 2023, hosted by Escape to the Country presenter Nicki Chapman who will be joined by a star-studded line-up of guests, including Ben Dark head gardener and award-winning broadcaster working at the top of British horticulture. Plus, Kiran Sidhu, author of the moving and transformational book, I Can Hear the Cuckoo: Life in the Wilds of Wales. 

The Garden Theatre will provide plenty of tips on what to plant for seasonal colour outside, along with advice for the veg plot. BBC Gardeners’ World presenters Arit Anderson and Adam Frost will be making return visits, as will popular florist Jonathan Moseley, whose exuberant displays never fail to please audiences.

Meanwhile, Malvern favourite Martin Fish, who has a wealth of gardening knowledge and practical advice to share from his 35 years in horticulture, will be hosting the Potting Shed Stage in the Harvest Pavilion, talking to nurseries, growers and specialist plant societies.

He will take part in daily ‘Gardeners’ Question and Answers’ panels with regular appearances by Jon Wheatley of Stonebarn Landscapes, based in the Chew Valley near Bristol, who has created more than 20 Royal Horticultural Society gold medal-winning features at various events.

Martin will also team up with his wife Jill for ‘Gardening on the Menu’ talks, and there will be talks from Jonathan Moseley and Arit Anderson too.

The Malvern Autumn Show is the UK’s biggest harvest season celebration and packed full of exciting new experiences and unique entertainment. For more information visit: https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/whats-on/special-guests/

Click here to register your interest in our Octopus Publishing special guest talks & demos on Saturday 23 September 2023.

MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW ANNOUNCES AN UNMISSABLE PROGRAMME OF FOOD, FLOWERS AND FAMILY FUN FOR SEPTEMBER 2023

The UK’s biggest harvest season celebration, the Malvern Autumn Show, is set to return to Three Counties Showground from 22 – 24 September 2023 with a programme packed full of exciting new experiences and unique entertainment. From the crowd-pleasing CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championship to the colourful RHS Flower Show, here are nine new and unique experiences to expect from this year’s Malvern Autumn Show:

  1. CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships

Year after year, the CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships at the Malvern Autumn Show draws thousands of excited spectators eager to marvel at the enormous fruit and vegetables harvested by expert growers. Last year’s Show scored a record-breaking number of Guinness World Records, with 11 new titles set for everything from the heaviest field pumpkin (121.6kg by Mark Baggs from Dorset) to the longest turnip (4.605m by Joe Atherton from Nottinghamshire). A highlight of the Show for many visitors, this is a spectacle you won’t want to miss!

  1. RHS Flower Show

Another popular feature of the Malvern Autumn Show is the much-loved RHS Flower Show, which will bring with it a blaze of autumnal colour and dazzling seasonal blooms. This year will see a bumper crop of RHS medal winning nurseries displaying their finest bulbs, plants and flowers whilst once again competing for recognition from the esteemed RHS judges. Visitors can browse hundreds of beautiful blooms, as well as purchase interesting plants and bulbs to transform their own living spaces from the plant nurseries and plant and bulb arcades.

  1. Hear from some of the UK’s best-selling food & drink authors

A brand-new Octopus Publishing Takeover on Saturday 23 September will see some of the UK’s best-selling food and drink authors sharing snippets and insights from their latest books with Food & Drink Theatre host, and award-winning author and food writer himself, Mark Diacono. Visitors will also be treated to some special cooking demonstrations, plus the chance to meet some of the authors and snap up signed copies of their latest books. Keep an eye on the Malvern Autumn Show website for more updates and special guest announcements https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk

  1. A bigger and better than ever Family Green

The popular Family Green is back at this year’s Show and it will be bigger and better than before, packed full of free family fun for all ages. Youngsters can get ready for Halloween by making their very own magic wand, hand-carved from a piece of wood, as well as the chance to create their own broomstick to complete their magical toolkit. Families can get involved in weaving willow into the shape of a giant chilli, or try their hand at circus skills, including plate spinning, juggling, stilt walking, diabolos, unicycles and mini bikes. Plus, there will be plenty of arts and crafts activities to keep little hands busy throughout the weekend.

  1. Enjoy talks from horticultural experts and special guests

This year’s Garden Theatre will be hosted by BBC Escape to the Country host, Nikki Chapman, who will be chatting to expert horticulturalists and familiar faces from BBC Gardeners’ World, including Adam Frost and Arit Anderson. Catch sizzling live cooking demos from top chefs and best-selling cook book authors over at the Kitchen Theatre, hosted by food writer Mark Diacono. At the Harvest Pavilion, the Potting Shed Theatre will be hosted by gardening consultant, Martin Fish, who will be chatting to some of the UK’s leading nurseries, growers and specialist plant societies, sharing handy tips on plant care and creating and maintaining your own green spaces.

  1. Tuck in to some of the UK’s finest food & drink

Another new feature at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show will be the Great Taste Food & Drink Market. Enjoy a delectable array of artisan produce from a selection of award-winning food and drink producers, recognised by the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Chat to the makers and find out more about their award-winning produce, indulge in a sample or two, and take home some tasty treats or stock up on special gifts.

  1. Meet some friendly furry friends at the World of Animals

A brand-new feature of this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, Joseph’s Amazing Racing Camels, promises to be a highlight of the weekend. Head to the World of Animals Arena to cheer on the camels as their compete in friendly races, and even meet these curious creatures up close. These are not just ordinary camels, these are celebrity camels, having features in numerous TV shows and films, working alongside well-known names including Sir David Attenborough, Will Smith, Jess Glynne and Tom Hiddleston.

The popular Exotic Animals area will return to this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, giving visitors the chance to get up close to fascinating creatures and learn more about them, including skunks, snakes, lizards, tarantulas, scorpions, pygmy hedgehogs and meerkats.

  1. Step back in time at the Vintage Village

Relive the golden days at the Vintage Village, back for this year’s Show with a bigger area featuring live bands performing toe-tapping music throughout the long weekend. Get into the spirit and don your finest vintage clothing, there’s also a ‘Best Dressed’ competition and a ‘Parade by Decade’ to get involved in. Learn some new (or old, as it may be!) moves in one of the free 1940s/50s dance lessons. A new vintage hair styling stand will see creative vintage hair-stylists curl, clip and spray hair into some of the most popular hair styles from yesteryear, with a free hair style per day offered to the winner of the ‘Best Dressed’ competition to complete their look.

Another new feature at this year’s Show, the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAFFi) will have a range of vintage military vehicles for visitors to admire, with home-front re-enactors on hand to chat to visitors about the vehicles and the role that the home front played during World War II. 

  1. British Fuchsia Society’s 85th Birthday National Show

In celebration of the British Fuchsia Society’s 85th Birthday, a spectacular 10ft tall pyramid of beautiful fuchsias will feature in the Harvest Pavilion to mark the occasion. These dainty, ballerina-like flowers, originally from Central and South America, are popular plants for their versatility, and can be grown as standalone shrubs, informal hedges, climbers, in hanging baskets, patio pots or to bring colour to borders. Expert growers from the British Fuchsia Society will be on hand to offer tips and advice for growing these pretty plants at home.

For the full Malvern Autumn Show 2023 programme, and to book tickets (£20 in advance, with children aged 16 and under free of charge) visit: https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/

Malvern Autumn Show launches fresh new look for 2023!

Malvern Autumn Show, in association with Westons, is the UK’s biggest harvest season celebration, held each autumn at Three Counties Showground, and new for its 27th annual event, the show has unveiled a fresh new identity for the three-day extravaganza, from 22 – 24 September 2023.

Nestled below Worcestershire’s glorious Malvern Hills, the event is a seasonal showcase celebrating the very best of autumn, from giant fruits and vegetables to demos from celebrity chefs, artisan ciders and perries to locally produced food and drink. 

A real highlight is always the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship, where competitors from across the country battle it out for a chance to win the coveted Guinness World Records title. Each year new records are set with gigantic legumes and enormous fruits. Visitors can peruse everything from super-sized pumpkins to extra-long leeks in a purpose-built marquee, housing hundreds of entrants. Meanwhile, in the colossal Harvest Pavilion, visitors can admire over 175 different Grow to Show classes where growers present the very best produce grown in their garden or allotment space including cut flowers, fruit, vegetables and succulents.

The RHS Flower Show will bring a riot of colour and fragrance with dazzling seasonal blooms, as some of the UK’s best nurseries and growers compete for recognition from the esteemed RHS judges. Visitors feeling inspired can pick up some interesting bulbs, plants and flowers to take home and transform their own outdoor space in the plant nurseries and plant and bulb arcades. Expert growers will be on hand to offer helpful suggestions and advice for the best plants to suit your space.

The Family Green will host a range of entertainment and activities for all ages, including willow weaving, pedal tractors, circus and bushcraft skills, wand making and broomstick making. There will also be animals to meet, including rabbits, cavies, ponies, dogs, pigs and exotic animals. After working up an appetite, tuck in to a delicious dish from an impressive range of street food traders in the Food and Drink Festival, or pick up foodie treats to take home from the Artisan Food and Drink Market.

Sit back and soak up the atmosphere and live music with a refreshing, locally produced cider in the Westons Cider Garden, or if perry is more your thing, head to the Festival of Perry, where over 50 different types will be available to sample, including single varieties, blends and international perries. Skilled perry producers will be on hand to share the art of perry making, tips on looking after an orchard and to share their love of this unique and highly valued drink.

Gin lovers will enjoy the dedicated Gin Garden and the Gin Show, supported by Ludlow Gin, featuring plenty of samples, shopping, live music and, of course, space to relax with a tipple surrounded by the beautiful backdrop of the Malvern Hills. Throughout the weekend, a selection of artisan producers will be on hand providing talks about their craft alongside samples of their creations.

This year’s show will once again welcome a host of familiar faces and well-known names to its theatres, with Nikki Chapman, Martin Fish and Jonathan Moseley already confirmed to provide interesting talks and top tips for green fingered visitors.

Jane Edwards, Head of Shows at Three Counties Showground, said: “This year’s Malvern Autumn Show is back with a brand-new look and feel, celebrating one of the best times of the year. We’re delighted to share a packed programme of vibrant seasonal flowers, plants, expert horticulturalists and growers, outstanding local food and drink, plus lots of family fun.”

Tickets for Malvern Autumn Show 2023 cost £20 in advance, with children aged 16 and under free of charge, and are available to book here.

Get 15% off Malvern Autumn Show tickets using code EARLYBIRD15 for a limited time only*. Don’t miss out, buy your tickets now!

*T&Cs

Book before midnight on Sunday 18 July for 15% off advance adult tickets on Friday, Saturday or Sunday of Malvern Autumn Show 2023 with code EARLYBIRD15.

Offer is valid for full price, adult tickets bought in advance only and is not applicable for Three Counties members tickets.

Offer cannot be applied retrospectively.

Booking fees apply.

Three Counties welcomes new CEO to drive forward investment and growth

We are pleased to announce that Three Counties Agricultural Society has appointed David Prescott as its new Chief Executive. David will start in January 2023 to take over the running of the society, following the announcement that Ken Nottage will be retiring from the post, after a hugely successful decade at the helm of one of the UK’s most prosperous showground enterprises.

David joins the society after a 27-year career with the Oxford based Bookseller Blackwell’s, where he held a variety of roles across the company from the shop floor to management and regional roles, before becoming Managing Director for Blackwell’s Bookshops in January 2011, and Chief Executive for Blackwell Limited in May 2013. He has also taken an active role in the UK Booksellers Association serving as Chair of the Academic and Professional Bookselling Group and as Vice President of the Association from 2011-17. He is currently a Trustee of the World Book Day Charity.

Ken Nottage commented, “At the heart of Three Counties is a committed and talented group of employees and volunteers, who I am sure will be supportive of David in his new role as CEO. David is strongly placed to lead the society in its future growth plans. In addition to his wide-ranging skills, he has invaluable business management experience which will contribute to the long-term future and success of the business.”

David will be on board at the beginning of the new 2023 shows season, with a full line-up of unmissable events and festivals, kicking off with CountryTastic in April, followed by the prestigious RHS Malvern Spring Festival in May, the annual celebration of food and farming, the Royal Three Counties Show in June and the finale to the year with the UK’s largest Harvest Festival, Malvern Autumn Show in September.

David said, “I’m hugely excited to be taking on the role of Three Counties Chief Executive. I’ve been really impressed with how well the Society is run and I know there’s lots of opportunity to build on what is a really impressive events calendar. Of course, I have some big shoes to fill with Ken having done such a fantastic job, but I know there is a great team here with a very supportive Board and Council, so I can’t wait to get started!”

Winter Glow lights the iconic Malvern skyline on opening weekend of the regions premier festive event

Winter Glow, the region’s largest multi-attraction event based at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, has officially launched Christmas 2022!

Winter Glow kicked off the festive season this week and invited everyone to embrace all things Christmassy, with an impressive line-up of activities and excitement on offer. The brand-new immersive Light Trail, alongside the Giant Observation Wheel which can be seen from miles away, is a beacon of festive fun with so much more awaiting visitors at this regional winter wonderland.

Along with the Personalised Santa Experiences, visitors can also take part in a newly themed Light Trail ‘A Christmas Odyssey’, ride a 120ft Observation Wheel, skate on the Indoor Ice Rink, and browse Winter Glow’s brand-new Christmas Market, with a selection of local traders, crafters and artisans. The Food Quarter, Ice Cafe and Bavarian-style bar are also cosy places for visitors to refuel after all that festive fun!

With 4 bookable events to enjoy, the first visitors entered the spell binding grotto adventure for Personalised Santa Experiences, full of fantastical surprises. Families were transported to a festive wonderland as they arrived and were greeted by Santa’s Head Elf, Jingle, who has some cheeky challenges for them to complete before making their special journey through the winding buildings to Santa’s Toy Workshop.

On arrival to the workshop, full to the brim with authentic sights, sounds and smells, visitors were once again by greeted by Elves and invited to explore their magical surroundings. Each family were then shown to their special appointment to meet Santa in his cosy grotto.

The experience didn’t stop there! After their visit with the big man, families enjoyed Mrs Claus’ Bakery, where each child decorated their own Christmas biscuit, before heading back into the Winter Village through the The Old Sweet Shoppe and North Pole Letter Box, to enjoy a selection of festive street performers and the magical atmosphere that follows them.

The ice skating sessions are also now open daily and take place within one of the West Midlands’ largest Indoor Ice Rinks.The rink is open to all, with skate aids for children and seating close by for no skaters to sit and watch.

Heading outside, the Light Trail winds across the showground, taking in Candy Cane Lane, Christmas Island and even a Narwal and Ship, seeing is believing! The twinkly lights, giant installations and photo opportunities along the route, were enjoyed by throngs of early VIP visitors and on selected dates in December, there are even Dog Friendly light trail sessions for pampered pooches. Jingle the Head Elf added: “All of my elves are busy sprinkling our special brand of Winter Glow Christmas magic across the Three Counties Showground and we look forward to welcoming guests throughout the festive period, to our little corner of Christmas magic in Malvern.”

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