The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has played a leading role in the development of agriculture and the rural economy in Wales for over a century, since its formation in 1904.

Today our work includes providing support for business, social welfare and education in rural communities, and the organisation and staging of our ever-popular society events; the Smallholding and Countryside Festival, the Royal Welsh Show  and the Winter Fair.

SMALLHOLDING AND COUNTRYSIDE FESTIVAL

Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Powys. LD2 3SY

We look forward to seeing you at the next Smallholding & Countryside Festival on 18th & 19th  May 2024.

SHOWGROUND

The 150 acre Royal Welsh Showground is open all year round. We host an array of exciting events set against the spectacular views of the Welsh countryside.

The Showground boasts many different venues catering for a variety of occasions such as weddings, business meetings, conferences, concerts, exhibitions and much more.

The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has played a leading role in the development of agriculture and the rural economy in Wales for over a century, since its formation in 1904.

Today our work includes providing support for business, social welfare and education in rural communities, and the organisation and staging of our ever-popular society events; the Smallholding and Countryside Festival, the Royal Welsh Show  and the Winter Fair.

With the evenings drawing in and the leaves starting to turn, the autumnal feeling in the air signals that the Royal Welsh Winter Fair is just around the corner. It won’t be long until the showground in Llanelwedd is once again bustling with exhibitors, prize-winning livestock and Christmas shoppers. Preparations are well underway for the annual event taking place on Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th November.

As one of the finest prime stock shows in Europe, the Winter Fair draws crowds from far and wide to enjoy two-days packed full of competitions, festivities, food and drink, and shopping. We were delighted to see its return in 2021 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and are looking forward to welcoming you back again this November for what is set to be another fantastic Winter Fair.

Livestock, Homecrafts and Floral Art and Horticulture schedules are available on our website and competition entries are now open. Visit our competitions page for more information or to enter. Livestock entries close on the 19th of October.

This year’s Winter Fair will be officially opened on Monday 28th November at 10am. Following the official opening there will be presentations of the John Gittins Memorial Award 2022, the RWAS Oxford Farming Conference Bursary 2023 and the Nuffield Farming Scholarship 2022.

New to this year’s event is the Bacon, Burger and Sausage Competition which will be judged by Men Behaving Badly and Bob the Builder star Neil Morrisey, along with Steve Morgan of Morgan Family Butchers and multi-award-winning writer and director, Phillip John from Cardiff. There will also be new cattle breed classes including the Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn competitions and a Steer and Heifer Section for each breed.

As well as livestock competitions, the Winter Fair hosts a huge variety of different classes and competitions, including horses, the hound show, dressed poultry, butchery, meat hampers, cookery, produce and handicraft, horticulture and floral art… there’s something for everyone to get involved in.

Along with all of the above, the Winter Fair offers shoppers the perfect opportunity to pick up some unique and original Christmas gifts from the hundreds of tradestands across the showground during the two-day event. Visitors will be able to enjoy watching the live music and carol singers performing throughout the showground, and even have a chance to meet Father Christmas!

The renowned Food Hall attracts producers from all over Wales and further afield and is packed full of culinary delights, demonstrations, perfect Christmas gifts and tempting tasters. Come along, eat, drink and be merry!

Honorary Winter Fair Director, William Hanks said;

‘We are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors to the showground for one of the largest events in the agricultural calendar. The Winter Fair celebrates Welsh produce and showcases some of the best prime stock in the UK. It also gets everyone in the festive spirit, with the vast array of tradestands, food and drink and entertainment on offer.’

The Winter Fair will be opening its doors to the public at 8am each morning and on Monday 28th, tradestands will be open throughout the evening for late night Christmas shopping and the great firework display. What better way to kick off the Yuletide season than with a visit to the Winter Fair?

Tickets are £20 for adults, and £5 for children with discounted tickets for RWAS members. Member’s tickets must be purchased before the 14th November in order to redeem the discount. As a festive treat, we are offering a reduced £5 entry for adults and free entry for children after 5pm on Monday to be purchased at the gate only.

Buy your tickets for the Winter Fair online now here. For more information about the event visit www.rwas.wales/winter-fair/.