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Category: Malvern Autumn Show

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.”

Group Travel is full steam ahead at Three Counties in 2023

Three Counties has announced that its group travel capacity will be back to pre-covid levels in 2023, heralding the return of all group bookings. Group organisers, tours and coach companies will have the option to pre-book groups for three large scale events next year, via the dedicated team at The Ticket Factory – the showground’s ticketing partner.

The prestigious RHS Malvern Spring Festival, 11-14 May 2023, is the first RHS show of the season and is an unmissable horticultural gem, set against the backdrop of the iconic Malvern hills. This annual event overflows with colour and style and there is always something different to see, such as new inspirational zones and theatres. Firm favourites, including the popular RHS Floral Marquee, Show and Feature Gardens, the very best nurseries from across the UK, shopping arcades, plus talks and demonstrations are also at the festival each year.

The theme for 2023’s festival is ‘Gardening for Everyone’ and there will be a focus on making gardening and horticulture open and accessible to all, while encouraging sustainable and planet-friendly practices that are kinder to the environment.

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Each summer the Showground hosts a three-day celebration of food and farming with the Royal Three Counties Show, 16-18 June 2023. Boasting thrilling Main Area entertainment, the ever-popular Countryside Arena, a dedicated Equine Village, thousands of animals to see, an artisan Food & Drink Festival, the very best countryside shopping and a whole host of celebrity guests, talks and live demonstrations.

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The UK’s largest Harvest Festival takes place annually at the Showground and is a real seasonal celebration. Malvern Autumn Show, 22-24 September 2023, is the final Three Counties event of the show season and is a jam-packed day out. Don’t miss the CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championship, the prestigious RHS Flower Show, BBC Gardeners World presenters making regular appearances across no less than four Talk Theatres, one of the country’s biggest Grow to Show competitions, outdoor and countryside shopping arcades and bags of family fun and entertainment.

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Sensational Season Sees UK Scoop 11 World Records at Malvern Autumn Show!

Image – CANNA UK Giant Vegetables champions & new Guinness World Record holders at Malvern Autumn Show 2022 at Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire.

This year’s Malvern Autumn Show has scored a record-breaking number of Guinness World Records, with 11 new prize winning giant vegetables awarded the ultimate accolade!

This whopping record breaks all previous Malvern Autumn Show tallies and is double the number of new Guinness World Records set at the 2021 show.

  • Heaviest Aubergine – 3.362kg – Peter Glazebrook
  • Longest Leek – 1.432m – Derek Hulme
  • Longest Turnip – 4.605m – Joe Atherton
  • Longest Luffa – 697mm – Ian Neale
  • Heaviest Luffa – 2.616kg – Ian Neale
  • Heaviest Field Pumpkin – 121.6kg – Mark Baggs
  • Heaviest Runner Bean – 176g – Lee Herrington
  • Longest Potato Plant – 2.847m – Kevin Fortey
  • Longest Broad Bean – 396mm – Ian Simpson
  • Heaviest Broad Bean – 184g – James Pearson
  • Longest Runner Bean – 769mm – Lee Herrington

The ginormous legumes form the CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championships, which takes place at Malvern each autumn and is the ultimate location for giant growers coming together to compete in this globally recognised competition.

Entrants come from across the UK to take part and spend months preparing their entries in classes ranging from heaviest watermelon to longest chili. There are thirty three classes in total and whilst pumpkins are arguably the largest in size, the huge vegetables include Khol Rabi, cantaloupe melons, squash and so much more.

Jane Edwards, Head of Shows commented: “We are absolutely thrilled that the efforts of our world record breaking growers has resulted in the largest number of new Guinness World Record titles ever achieved at Malvern Autumn Show. The whole event is run in partnership with CANNA UK and is one of the most popular features at our annual celebration of Autumn.”

Nine reasons to visit the Malvern Autumn Show this September

Spectacular flowers, a mouth-watering array of food and drink, giant vegetables and lots of family fun are all in store with the return of the UK’s biggest Harvest Festival, the Malvern Autumn Show, on 23 – 25 September 2022 at Three Counties Showground.

Set against the backdrop of the glorious Malvern Hills, the three-day festival promises to celebrate the very best of the autumn season and here are nine reasons why you won’t want to miss it!

  • Resplendent RHS Flower Show

A real highlight of the Malvern Autumn Show is always the magnificent RHS Flower Show, which showcases the UK’s best nurseries and growers and their spectrum of specialist blooms, as they compete for the coveted gold medal from the RHS judges. Plus, there’s a chance to start planning next year’s spring pots and borders, with every kind of bulb, tuber and corm for sale, alongside expert advice to help your garden flourish.

  • Entertaining Celebrity and Special Guests

Special guests set to draw in crowds across the weekend include BBC’s Gardeners’ World favourites Arit Anderson, Adam Frost and Frances Tophill. Over at the Food & Drink Village, John Torode MBE, one of the most popular and influential figures on the UK culinary circuit, and TV cook show co-host and judge, will be delighting visitors with live cookery demonstrations. Also appearing over the weekend are award-winning food writer Mark Diacono, floristry extraordinaire Jonathan Moseley and archaeologist and TV presenter Jules Hudson, along with fellow BBC’s Escape to the Country co-host Nicki Chapman. And not forgetting Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off finalist Chigs Parmar, and Reg Moule, one of Worcestershire’s best loved gardening personalities and radio broadcasters.

  • Mouth-watering Food

A delicious array of tasty treats will be on offer at the al fresco Food & Drink Village across the weekend. Visitors can expect to find delicacies from a wide range of outstanding local suppliers, from brownies to pancakes, pizzas to burgers, cheese to preserves, whatever takes your fancy you’ll find it here! Don’t miss the daily cooking demonstrations at the Kitchen Theatre, including John Torode MBE, Chigs Parmar and some brilliant regional chefs including Suki Pantal and James Mearing.

  • Exceptional Local Cider and Perry

The Three Counties are proud to produce over half of the UK’s cider apples and the majority of all UK perry pears, so where better to enjoy these traditional tipples than the very heart of these neighbouring counties?

The ever-popular Westons Cider Garden, courtesy of the show’s main sponsor, returns to the Malvern Autumn Show to offer visitors a comfy spot to relax after a busy morning exploring. Pull up a seat and enjoy a refreshing tipple of Hereford’s finest cider. Children and adults alike can also get involved in guessing the weight of the apples on the back of the vintage Westons Cider truck and be in with a chance to win some fantastic goodies!

The Festival of Perry will celebrate over 50 different varieties, with a range of Single Varieties, Blends and International Perries available to try. Visitors can discover the fascinating process of creating this time-honoured beverage with displays of presses, scratters and small-scale cider and perry making equipment. A range of skilful perry producers will be on hand to share the art of perry making and offer tips for looking after your own orchard.

Head over to the Orchard and Hopyard Pavilion where the National Fruit Show will take you on a ‘tour’ of an orchard and give you an insight into how the apple gets from the orchard to the supermarket shelf. There will also be tastings and hands-on activities running across the three days.

  • A Gin-lover’s Paradise

Gin-lovers are in for a treat as the Gin Village, supported by Ludlow Gin, will offer samples, shopping, live music and, of course, the Ludlow Gin bar where you can relax in the garden surrounded by the beautiful backdrop of the Malvern Hills. But that’s not all! The Gin Show will showcase producers from across the Three Counties, with an expert panel of judges on hand to present awards, including the ’People’s Choice Award’ voted by visitors at the show. Sit back, relax and listen to ‘gintastic’ talks, discover recipe ideas and take part in daily tasting sessions in the Gin Theatre, hosted by Andrew Easton from BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester.

  • CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship

The CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship feels a bit like stepping into wonderland as you walk among a remarkable world of gigantic legumes and enormous fruits. Growers this year are keen to beat the Guinness World Records set at the 2021 show for the heaviest marrow, aubergine and broad bean pod, and for the longest leek. Visitors can join in with the new ‘People’s Choice Award’ by voting for their favourite vegetable in each category.

  • New World of Animals Arena

A brand-new addition for this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, the World of Animals arena will host dazzling displays from The Horsemen of the Knight, the Three Counties Carriage Driving Group, and Suffolk Punch heavy horses. There will also be a fascinating Wildlife and Education Centre where curious visitors can discover more about their favourite animals. The Parade of Dogs and Parade of Animals is sure to be a highlight for many, featuring a wide variety of animals, including different breeds of dogs, horses, pigs, sheep and alpacas.

  • Lots of Family Fun

Over on the Family Green, there will be plenty to entertain visitors both young and old, including free have-a-go activities such as circus skills, croquet, giant Jenga, wand making workshops, broomstick making (Saturday & Sunday only) and pedal tractors, and animals aplenty. This is one of the most popular areas of the show and it’s no wonder why!

The Discover Harvest Village Show, a mini Harvest Festival, is also located on the family green and is jam-packed with imaginative home makes, including creatures made from fruit and vegetables, decorated plant pots and seasonal snaps. There’s still time to enter the competitions if your children would like to get involved, or they can simply get creative on the day. See https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk/ for details.

Children can also take part in the new Family Trail, sponsored by Bredon School. Workbooks and pencils will be available at all gates upon arrival and can ​be completed by finding the eight ‘Sid the Squirrel’ boards dotted around the showground. Once completed, head to the Bredon School stand to pick up a prize!

  • Marvellous Vintage Village

Enjoy a throwback to the good old days in the fabulous Vintage Village and Rural Pursuits zone. Dress up in your finery and enter the ‘Best Dressed’ competition, or take part in the ‘parade by decade’. Join in one of the fun free dance lessons celebrating the classic moves from the 40s and 50s. For a more relaxing afternoon, enjoy a cup of tea and slice of cake in the Vintage Tearoom, or head to the Wartime Pub for a pint in 1940s style surroundings. There will also be a vintage funfair, including a remarkable helter skelter, amazing vintage cars, original barrel organ, and a host of vintage machinery, including tractors, caravans and garden machinery.

The Rural Pursuits area will celebrate some of Britain’s most traditional activities, where visitors can learn from expert artisanal crafts people about some of the skills and pastimes which have survived over the years and continue to thrive today.

Tickets to the Malvern Autumn Show cost £18.85 per person, £17.85 for members and are free of charge for children under 16. Book tickets online in advance to save at www.malvernautumn.co.uk or call 01684 584900 for more information.

Spectacular Giant Vegetables Championship returns to Malvern Autumn Show this September

Expert growers will once again battle it out to win the coveted prize of heaviest or longest vegetable in the much-loved CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship, when it returns to the Malvern Autumn Show at Three Counties Showground, from 23 – 25 September 2022.

Each year records are broken as expert growers wow spectators with their enormous fruit and vegetables, as adjudicators and representatives from the National Vegetable Society officiate the competition. At the 2021 competition, four new Guinness World Records were set for the heaviest marrow (at a huge 116.4kg, which is 22.7kg heavier than the previous record) by Vincent Sjodin (from Wales), heaviest aubergine (at 3.12kg) by Peter Glazebrook (from Nottingham), heaviest broad bean pod (at 106g) and longest leek (at 1.36m) both by Joe Atherton (also from Nottingham).

From giant pumpkins to enormous carrots, huge beetroots to massive parsnips, the competition promises to be packed full of fantastic fruits and vegetables like you’ve never seen before!

Competitors of all ages can get involved, with children from 5-15 years taking part in the Junior Sunflower classes to see who can grow the largest sunflower head. Other family-friendly fun over the weekend includes the World of Animals showcase, the Top Dogs Arena, as well as a jam-packed programme of free children’s activities including circus skills, croquet, giant Jenga and pedal tractors.

The Harvest Zone will celebrate the very best of the autumn season, with a beautiful display of locally grown vegetables, soft fruits and flowers housed in one of the UK’s largest harvest pavilions. Pick up growing tips from National Plant Societies and marvel at the Grow to Show competitions, featuring over 175 classes of cut flowers, vegetables, fruits, alpines, succulents and pot plants.

Also taking place over the long weekend is the spectacular RHS Flower Show, featuring a dazzling display of exceptional blooms. Special guests will be on hand to share expert advice, including Gardeners’ World favourites Adam Frost, Arit Anderson and Frances Tophill. A tantalising array of tasty treats will await in the Food & Drink Village, and refreshments will be on hand in the Gin Village supported by Ludlow Gin, Festival of Perry and Westons Cider Garden. The Countryside Shopping Pavilion is the place to head for original artwork, hand-made jewellery and other artisan crafts.

Advance tickets to the Malvern Autumn Show cost £18.85 per person and children under 16 go free. For further information or to book tickets see www.malvernautumn.co.uk or call 01684 584924.

Gardening glitterati, knowledgeable nurseries and fantastic floristry on display at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show

Gardeners can refurbish their frazzled borders and stock up on bulbs for some spring colour when the Malvern Autumn Show, in association with Westons Cider Mill, returns from 23 – 25 September at Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire.

Specialist nurseries from all over the UK are heading for the event’s Gardening Village with a variety of impressive displays and hands-on advice, offering inspiration for seasoned growers and newbies alike.

The stunning RHS Flower Show in the Floral Marquee, the Plant Arcade and the Bulb Market all contribute to what promises to be a plant lovers paradise. Autumn is a great time to plan ahead for the seasons to come, and the floral marquee will host plenty of nurseries offering rare and unusual plants.

Autumn colour will abound with the return of Old Court Nurseries and The Picton Garden, which is based in Malvern. This Michaelmas daisy specialist will be displaying a variety of Symphyotrichum species and cultivars, and a selection of tender succulents.

Nerines and amarines are favourites at this time of the year and there will be plenty to admire among those showcased by South Yorkshire-based Hoyland Plant Centre. Steve Hickman and his team will also be showing off their collection of agapanthus.

HW Hyde from West Sussex is hoping to exhibit ‘Barbarry Aloha’, a new dahlia with unusual smoky red flowers bred in the UK by Barry Davies. They’ll also have several new tulips, including ‘Hot Chocolate’, the pure black ‘Nightmare’ and the lilac-hued ‘Fringed Beauty’.

Other nurseries providing outstanding autumn additions include Staddon Farm Nurseries from Devon, with ferns and hakonechloa grasses, and toad lilies, Tricyrtis hirta, which produces funnel-shaped flowers from late summer. More ferns and tree ferns can be found at Alchemy Ferns, based in York; Wiltshire’s The Botanic Nursery will be showing off rough-leaved hydrangea H. aspera and late-flowering salvias, and Hardy’s Cottage Plants will be coming from Hampshire with a wealth of seasonal flowering herbaceous perennials.

Get ready for a summer of roses by visiting the stand of Cheshire’s C&K Jones, and select colourful climbers from the ranges brought along by Priorswood Clematis from Hertfordshire and Wiltshire’s Floyd’s Climbers and Clematis. Marcel Floyd is looking forward to sharing advice on how to get the most from plants, with tips on pruning, feeding and growing conditions, and he’ll be bringing along the popular tangutica-type clematis ‘Black Tibet’, which blooms from late summer.

Be inspired by the display of vegetables grown by Preston-based family firm W Robinson & Son and make the most of the opportunity to stock up on seeds. Susan Robinson and her colleagues will have a range of unusual vegetables, including the bitter gourd known as ‘karella’, the kiwano horned melon, trichoscanthes pointed gourd, cucamelona and luffa (loofah). Their range of chillies extends from mild to very hot and they stock many types of tomatoes and onions.

Susan Robinson commented: “The trend at the moment is to grow something which is easy and useful. Many vegetables can be grown in a small space. As always, the-cut-and-come-again veg such as spinach, chard and kale are very popular, and salad leaves are popular and quicker to grow than the webs and cos types.

“Due to the current problem with the onion leaf miner, the autumn-planting onions are gaining popularity. At the moment many customers are planting vegetables for use over the winter months, such as purple sprouting broccoli, leeks and Brussels sprouts.”

For bonsai lovers there will be a wealth of tiny trees to marvel over, with stands from Derbyshire Bonsai and Driftwood Bonsai from Yorkshire, while people looking to extend their collection of indoor plants will find plenty of cacti and succulents on the stands of West Bromwich-based Craig House Cacti and Fosters Exotic and Unusual Plants from Scunthorpe. Stan and Vicky from Craig House will be highlighting a selection of the genus Conophytum, which came from the collection of the late Terry Smale, a renowned grower of these plants.

The autumn season is the time to stock up on spring-flowering bulbs, and there will be daffodils, tulips and lilies a-plenty in the bulb market, along with inspiring displays of colourful dahlias.

Special guests handing out advice, tips and tricks across the long weekend include Gardener’s World favourites Arit Anderson, Adam Frost and Frances Tophill, award-winning food writer Mark Diacono, floristry extraordinaire Jonathan Moseley and archeologist and TV presenter Jules Hudson.

The Malvern Autumn Show is a gardening haven and so much more, including the mouth-watering Food & Drink Village, entertainment for all ages on the Family Green, plus the ever-popular CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championship, promising an unforgettable day out. Advance tickets are £18.85 per person, £17.85 for members and free of charge for children under 16. For further information about the Malvern Autumn Show, including full programme details, or to book tickets in advance, see www.malvernautumn.co.uk or call 01684 584900.

Malvern Autumn Show is all set to be the UK’s biggest Harvest Festival in 2022!

Fabulous flowers, food, drink and family fun will once again transform the Three Counties Showground with the return of the UK’s biggest Harvest Festival, the Malvern Autumn Show, on 23 – 25 September 2022.

Set against the backdrop of Worcestershire’s glorious Malvern Hills, the three-day spectacular promises to celebrate the very best of the season, from giant crops and floral art to shopping, local ciders and tasty treats.

A real highlight is always the RHS Flower Show, which showcases the UK’s best nurseries and growers and their spectrum of specialist blooms, as they compete for the coveted gold medal from the RHS judges. Plus, there’s a chance to start planning next year’s spring pots and borders, with every kind of bulb, tuber and corm for sale, alongside expert advice to help your garden flourish.

Green-fingered visitors are sure to enjoy the Grow Zone and Harvest Zone, where they will find visual floral feasts and sales, trade secrets and tips from renowned experts, and a celebration of the great British harvest highlighting the finest from the Three Counties’ orchards and hopyards. Not forgetting the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship, a world of gigantic legumes and enormous fruits. Last year alone, four new world records were broken for the heaviest marrow, aubergine and broad bean pod, and longest leek.

Over on the Family Green, there will be lots to entertain visitors both young and old, including free have-a-go activities such as pedal tractors and circus and bushcraft skills, a mini harvest festival, and animals aplenty, from dazzling dog displays in the Top Dogs Arena to the popular World of Animals featuring giant rabbits, alpacas, horses and more.

Special guests set to draw in crowds across the weekend include Gardener’s World’s own Arit Anderson, award-winning food writer Mark Diacono, floristry extraordinaire Jonathan Moseley, archeologist and TV presenter Jules Hudson and landscape designer and television favourite, Adam Frost.

Fans of nostalgia can head back in time and relive the glory days in the Vintage Village and Rural Pursuits zones, where they will find vintage machinery displays, forgotten skills and rural crafts. Plus, a traditional tearoom serving up delights from the 40s and 50s era.

Jane Edwards, Shows Manager, said: “The Malvern Autumn Show is a celebration of one of the most exciting and vibrant British seasons. We are delighted to bring back an amazing array of flowers, plants, experts, traditional skills, animals and food and drink from across our three counties – promising something for the whole family to enjoy.

“The show really is a plantsman’s paradise, so whether you’re looking for inspiration for your own garden or allotment, or simply want to soak up the beautiful blooms, the Three Counties Showground is the place to be this September.”

Breakfast, lunch, dinner – and of course tasty treats – are all on offer, courtesy of a huge range of outstanding local suppliers in the Food & Drink Village. Plus, the Kitchen Theatre, the Gin Show sponsored by Ludlow Gin, Festival of Perry and Westons Cider Garden.

All this, and so much more, promising an unforgettable family day out, with tickets costing just £18.85 per person, £17.85 for members and free of charge for children under 16. Book tickets online in advance to save at www.malvernautumn.co.uk or call 01684 584900 for more information.

BUMPER CROP FOR ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL AT MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW

Three Counties Showground was basked in sunshine for its annual seasonal celebration and the UK’s biggest harvest festival this September. The ever-popular Malvern Autumn Show is a firm favourite with visitors and the highlight of the harvest calendar, celebrating all things autumnal.

Expert growers travelled from across the UK to enter their prize vegetables into the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship, award-winning nurseries created beautiful displays and the Harvest Pavilion was packed with over 1100 entries in more than 170 classes from people who grow everything from root vegetables to dahlias.

The Malvern Autumn Show boasted four new Guinness World Records for 2021, with world-class competitors fighting it out to be crowned new title holders. This year’s successful winners achieved the following accolades:

Heaviest Marrow – 116.4kg (256 lb 9.8oz)
Vincent Sjodin of Barry lsland, Wales
22.7kg (50lb) heavier

Heaviest Aubergine – 3.12kg (6lb 14oz)
Peter Glazebrook of Newark, Nottingham
60g heavier

Heaviest Broad Bean Pod – 106g (3.74oz)
Joe Atherton of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Longest Leek – 1.36m (4ft 5.5in)
Joe Atherton of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
14cm longer

The show is a celebration of gardening, food and drink and artisan produce and this year welcomed record numbers of visitors across a new three-day format. The show was sponsored by local artisan cider producers Westons Cider, and ran from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th September. It had something for everyone including a new outdoor food and drink village, plus the return of the popular Malvern Gin Show where local  distilleries battled it out to be named in one of four categories, including Best Flavoured Gin won by Penrhos Spirits for their Penrhos Apple & Elderflower Gin. Awards were presented by TV chef Matt Tebbutt and visitors whiled away the hours in the relaxing Gin Garden serviced by Malvern Gin Show sponsors Ludlow Gin.

The 90-acre showground housed several dedicated theatres including the Gin Pod Theatre with regular masterclasses, the Autumn Potager Theatre with an impressive line-up of celebrity gardening and horticultural speakers, including BBC Gardeners World host Adam Frost with Mark Diacono and Jules Hudson and the Food & Drink Theatre hosted by Eat Well For Less presenter Chris Bavin featuring well-known chefs Phil Vickery and Matt Tebbutt.

FESTIVAL STATISTICS

  • Record numbers of visitors for the NEW 3-day format
  • 450 entries to the UK Giant Vegetable Championships
  • 4 world records broken by the UK Giant Vegetable Championship
  • Over 1,100 entries in the Grow to Show area of the Harvest Pavilion
  • Over 45 award winning nurseries on display in the Open Air RHS Flower Show

Next year’s Malvern Autumn Show will take place on Saturday 24 September and Sunday 25 September. For information, please visit www.malvernautumnshow.co.uk or call 01684 23012

Chris Eldridge, Head of Shows, said: “This year’s record-breaking Malvern Autumn Show was a great way to relaunch our events calendar after almost two years and our visitors welcomed the new 3-day format, which was a huge success.”

GIANT VEGETABLES CHAMPIONSHIP SMASHES GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS AT MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW

Expert growers have been arriving for the last 24 hours at Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire, UK to battle it out to win the highly prized first place prize in the much-loved CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship.

This year’s entrants have come from far and wide to show their enormous fruit and vegetables, as adjudicators and representatives from the Guinness World Records officiated the competition and announced not just one new Guinness World Record but 4!

New Guinness World Records Include:

Heaviest Marrow – 116.4kg (256 lb 9.8oz)

Vincent Sjodin of Barry lsland, Wales

22.7kg (50lb) heavier

Heaviest Aubergine – 3.12kg (6lb 14oz)

Peter Glazebrook of Newark, Nottingham

60g heavier

Heaviest Broad Bean Pod – 106g (3.74oz)

Joe Atherton of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Longest Leek – 1.36m (4ft 5.5in)

Joe Atherton of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

14cm longer

Chris Eldridge, Head of Shows, said: “We are over the moon that this year’s CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship has resulted in so many new Guinness World Records! Congratulations to all the winners and of course the record breaking vegetables will be on show for everyone to see on Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th September at Malvern Autumn Show.”

Advance tickets to the Malvern Autumn Show cost £18 for general admission, children under 16 go free. For further information or to book tickets see www.malvernautumn.co.uk or call 01684 584924.

DONATE AT THE MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW CHARITY HARVEST FESTIVAL COLLECTION

Harvest Festival Collection

Visitors to the NEW 3 day Malvern Autumn Show at Three Counties Showground, the UK’s biggest harvest festival, will not only enjoy a jam-packed day out but also have the opportunity to donate to the CCP Community Pantry.

The Community Pantry is an important hub for many individuals and is an alternative to the standard food parcel. Rather than being handed a box of unhealthy or unwanted items, pantry members are able to shop freely in a farm-shop-appeal pantry. They are able to choose from fresh meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables donated regularly, in addition to the longer life staples that many rely on. The main charity Harvest Festival Collection point is situated next to the Food & Drink Theatre and close to the showgrounds West Gate Entrance, plus there are handy drop off points at South Gate Entrance and North Gate Entrance

A range of dry goods are needed:

  • UHT semi-skimmed milk
  • Coffee
  • Sugar
  • Tinned Fruit
  • Tinned Meat
  • Tinned Rice Pudding
  • Biscuits
  • Jams or spreads
  • Condiments
  • Cleaning items, such as Cif, Fairy Liquid

Please do consider bringing along a few items to donate at the Malvern Autumn Show and supporting the work of CCP.

Find out more about the work of CCP at www.ccp.org.uk

RHS FLOWER SHOW SET TO WOW AT MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW 2021

Fabulous floral displays and inspiration await visitors to this year’s Malvern Autumn Show, where the RHS Flower Show takes centre stage from Friday 24 September until Sunday 26 September.

More than 40 of the UK’s best nurseries and expert growers will gather in the new open-air floral arena to transform the Three Counties Showground with an abundance of colour, scent and movement: all competing for the coveted RHS 5-star rating in the first morning’s judging session.

Whether you’re a budding Monty Don or Frances Tophill, looking for floral inspiration, or you simply want to bring the beauty of outside in, this celebration of blooms will delight the senses of family members of all ages.

Receiving an RHS 5-star rating is the ultimate accolade for a nursery; real recognition for skill and effort, as well as encouraging and inspiring others. Judges are highly experienced, independent horticultural experts, trained in judging using the RHS criteria. This includes the complexity of the display in its construction, how challenging the planting is, overall impression and originality.

Nurseries, therefore, push their creativity and skills to the limit, promising a fresh floral feast for green-fingered growers, horticultural lovers and instagrammers alike. From shade-loving succulents and dazzling dahlias to prairie-style posies, tropical treasure troves and planet-friendly pollinators, there will be stunning displays, plants for sale and expert advice to enhance all types of gardens and homes.

All nurseries will receive a star rating prize card, with top prizes including Best in Show and Judge’s Choice Awards for those who have gone above and beyond with their displays.

Any visit to the floral arena area of the show wouldn’t be complete without a peek at the brimming bulb market where visitors can handpick from a selection of tulip, allium, daffodil and dahlia bulbs – perfect for adding a pop of colour to spring planting.

Nurseries visitors can look forward to seeing at the show include Bean Place Nursery, Craig House Cacti,  Hooksgreen Herbs, Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, Harts Nursery, Petrichor Bulb Specialists,  Primrose Bank, Rose Cottage Plants and many, many more.

Jane Edwards, Shows Manager, said: “We are delighted that the Malvern Autumn Show is back and for the first time, our jam-packed event is being held over three days. This ginormous harvest festival is full of people enthusiastic about growing and food – it’s a real end of the season celebration.

“Over 40 of the UK’s top nurseries and growers will create impressive displays at the show. They are happy to share their expert advice and knowledge with visitors, which is always spot on.”

Entry to the RHS Flower Show is included in admission to the Malvern Autumn Show, an annual celebration of gardening, food & drink, artisan produce and nostalgia, taking place from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 September.

The long weekend will feature celebrity guests, the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship; a new outdoor Food and Drink Village; one of the biggest Grow to Show competitions in the country and, of course, endless family fun and free activities, from pedal tractors and croquet, to arts and crafts activities, the Top Dogs Arena, and the World of Animals showcase.

Tickets for the Malvern Autumn Show are available from https://www2.theticketfactory.com/three-counties/online/

Ticket prices include:
General Admission (from 10am): £18, Under 16-year-olds: Free (but ticket required)
Parking: Standard Parking free, Gold Parking £15

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