ONE of the biggest agricultural events in the country, the Great Yorkshire Show, is going online for the first time in its history.

Taking place over the show’s original dates, from July 14 to 16, and organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the Great Yorkshire Virtual Show will feature three full days of entertaining and informative video footage, all available for free on the show’s website.

Expect a feast of all things Yorkshire and its glorious rural acres, as the event takes you onto farms, into workshops and behind the scenes with food producers. Tune in for special performances, demonstrations, showcases and look out for some famous faces.

Attractions include a performance by East Yorkshire-based TV stunt performers Atkinson Action Horses, a cook-off between top chefs Rosemary Shrager and Stephanie Moon, a Q&A with the stars of The Yorkshire Vet, Peter Wright and Julian Norton, and a behind the scenes tour with Olympic showjumper Graham Fletcher.

Livestock, farriery, beekeeping, cheesemaking and much more will be showcased as part of a packed programme of virtual events.

In celebration of the Great Yorkshire Show’s unique atmosphere, there will be performances by sporting soprano Lizzie Jones and the Leyburn Band. There will also be the chance to indulge in some retail therapy with a comprehensive directory of businesses who would have welcomed show visitors to their trade stands at the showground.

Charles Mills, show director of the Great Yorkshire Show, said: “While the coronavirus has caused the cancellation of our iconic annual event, we are determined that the show must go on, albeit in a different format this year.

“Never before has the Great Yorkshire Show been celebrated as a virtual event and so we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to bringing the Show to life in this way.

“The Yorkshire Agricultural Society recognises that the Great Yorkshire Show offers a fantastic platform to celebrate and champion the very best of British agriculture and so we hope to achieve that virtually this year.

“There will be something for everyone to enjoy online over the show’s three days and we dearly hope that you will join us for what promises to be a very special showcase of all that is great about Yorkshire, its rural traditions and the region’s enviable reputation for producing high-quality British food.”

A full schedule for the Great Yorkshire Virtual Show will be published soon via the Great Yorkshire Show website, www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk and there is no need to register in order to view the show’s content. Updates will be posted regularly on our social media pages.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate was cancelled in March. Ordinarily, more than 130,000 visitors and 8,500 animals flock to the Great Yorkshire Showground for the three-day show, making it one of the biggest in the UK.

The Great Yorkshire Show will be held on July 13 to 15, 2021.