What Driffield Showground does

Driffield Showground operates as the venue and operating entity of the Driffield Agricultural Society, a membership-based charitable organisation. The Society traces to the 1851 founding of the Driffield Farmers' Club and was reconstituted in 1853 as the Driffield and East Riding Agricultural Society. The first Driffield Show was held in 1854, and the 150th edition is scheduled for 22 July 2026. The site is located at Driffield Road, Kelleythorpe, Driffield, East Yorkshire YO25 9FB, and the legal structure comprises the Driffield Agricultural Society and Driffield Showground Events LTD. The Society is a member of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO).

The Society's product surface is event-driven and runs from a single UK site. The flagship is the annual Driffield Show (170+ exhibitors in 2025), supported by the Showground Events Centre for venue hire, the Schools Food & Farming Day with 60+ educational bases serving 1,500–1,800 children, the related Food & Farming Series for Schools, and trade exhibitions. Member and visitor-facing technology comprises the Showing Scene online platform for trade stand bookings and a CCTV system with 28-day retention for venue security.

Revenue is generated from membership subscriptions (Adult £50, Junior £10, Family £110, Life £1,000 for 2026), venue hire, trade stand bookings, event tickets, and educational programme sponsorship. Schools Food & Farming Day funding is sourced from the Horace Taylor Trust, J.E. & E.C. Rymer Charitable Trust, Hull and East Riding Charitable Trust, and Sandy Dewhirst Charitable Trust, with on-the-day sponsorship from Dee4Drones, M & R Kirkwood, Brown and Co, Driffield Rotary Club, and Anchor Nurseries LTD. The leadership team comprises Tom Woodall (CEO), Julian Cook (President), Richard Dee (Chairman), Gillian Butler (Vice Chairman), and Peter Bradbury (Honorary Treasurer). The addressable market is East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull.

Name

Driffield Showground

Legal name

Driffield Agricultural Society & Driffield Showground Events LTD

Website

https://driffieldshowground.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Driffield Showground operates the annual Driffield Show and Schools Food & Farming education events from its Kelleythorpe site in East Yorkshire, serving members, trade exhibitors, schools, and venue-hire customers across East Riding and Hull.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Exhibition & Event Venue Services

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor Amphitheater & Open-Air Venue Operations (MPAGALAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural show services
• Event venue hire
• Membership society
• Agricultural exhibition
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Driffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership to Driffield Agricultural Society providing access to exclusive events and discounts. Membership supports charitable educational activities throughout the year.
2. Venue and Site Hire: Hiring out the Events Centre and showground facilities for various occasions including weddings, celebrations, conferences, and seminars.
3. Trade Stand Bookings: Trade exhibitor fees for participating in the annual Driffield Show. Applications managed through Showing Scene online system.
4. Event Tickets: Ticket sales for the annual Driffield Show and other events held at the showground.
5. Educational Program Sponsorship: Funding from project sponsors for the Food & Farming Series for Schools educational video content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Driffield Showground operates as an event venue and home of the Driffield Agricultural Society, hosting the flagship annual Driffield Show (an agricultural exhibition featuring livestock, equine, horticulture, and trade stands) and providing a versatile Events Centre for weddings, celebrations, charity functions, conferences, training, and seminars. The organization also runs educational programmes (Schools Food & Farming Day and Food & Farming Series for Schools) and operates a paid membership programme that funds its charitable activities.

Product overview

Driffield Showground operates as a multi-faceted events venue and agricultural society home offering a unified portfolio of venue hire services and educational programmes. The core offering centres on the Events Centre for weddings, celebrations, conferences, and functions, alongside the flagship annual Driffield Show. Supporting products include the Schools Food & Farming Day and Food & Farming Series for Schools educational initiatives, and Driffield Agricultural Society membership. The showground provides trade stand exhibition packages and serves as a versatile blank-canvas venue for diverse occasions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schools Food & Farming Day: Annual education day for primary school children teaching about food and farming, attracting over 1,800 children annually
• Food & Farming Series for Schools
• Trade Stands

Products and services

• Driffield Showground Venue & Events Centre A versatile event venue providing facilities for weddings, celebrations, charity functions, conferences, training delivery, and seminars. The showground serves as the home of the Driffield Agricultural Society and hosts the annual Driffield Show, offering a blank-canvas setting with ample parking and good transport links.
• Driffield Show The flagship annual agricultural show featuring livestock, equine, fur, feather, horticulture, and handicraft competitions and exhibitions, with trade stands and food and farming demonstrations. The 2026 show is the 150th anniversary edition.
• Schools Food & Farming Day An annual education event held in May targeting upper Key Stage 2 children (aged 9-11) from primary schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull, with over 60 hands-on bases illustrating different aspects of farming, food production, and the countryside.
• Food & Farming Series for Schools Educational video series filmed on East Yorkshire farms designed for upper Key Stage 2 children, led by real farmers, covering produce and livestock topics. The series extends the educational reach of Schools Food & Farming Day beyond the annual on-site event.
• Driffield Agricultural Society Membership Annual membership programme offering access to the Driffield Show and exclusive member events and discounts, with proceeds supporting the Society's charitable educational activities including Schools Food & Farming Day. Membership categories include Adult (£50), Junior (£10), Family (£110), and Life (£1,000).
• Trade Stand Packages Trade stand exhibition opportunities at the annual Driffield Show, including trade stand terms, programme advertising, and catering options. Applications are managed through the Showing Scene online system, with 170+ exhibitors participating in recent years.

Quantifiable outcome

• Schools Food & Farming Day attracts over 1,500 children annually to learn about food and farming

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Dee4DronesminorOthersProject sponsor for the Food & Farming Series for Schools educational video content. Videos are filmed on farms in East Yorkshire and designed for upper KS2 children.
• M & R KirkwoodminorOthersProject sponsor for the Food & Farming Series for Schools educational video content.
• Brown and CominorOthersProject sponsor for the Food & Farming Series for Schools educational video content.
• Driffield Rotary ClubminorOthersProject sponsor for the Food & Farming Series for Schools educational video content.
• Anchor Nurseries LTDminorOthersProject sponsor for the Food & Farming Series for Schools educational video content.
• Horace Taylor TrustminorOthersCharitable trust funding the Schools Food & Farming Day event.
• JE & EC Rymer Charitable TrustminorOthersCharitable trust funding the Schools Food & Farming Day event.
• Hull and East Riding Charitable TrustminorOthersCharitable trust funding the Schools Food & Farming Day event.
• Sandy Dewhirst Charitable TrustminorOthersCharitable trust funding the Schools Food & Farming Day event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yorkshire Agricultural Society (Great Yorkshire Show): Operates the Great Yorkshire Show and a comparable showground venue in Harrogate, hosting an annual agricultural exhibition, trade stands, and educational programs — directly comparable business model to Driffield.
• Royal Bath and West of England Society: Operates the Bath and West Showground, hosting agricultural shows, trade exhibitions, weddings, conferences, and educational events — a direct peer in the regional agricultural-society showground model.
• Newark and Nottinghamshire Show Society (Newark Showground): Operates Newark Showground with the Nottinghamshire County Show, antiques fairs, and venue hire — directly comparable in offering a regional showground with year-round event and venue hire.
• Three Counties Agricultural Society (Three Counties Showground): Manages Three Counties Showground, including the Three Counties Show, trade exhibitors, venue hire, and educational programming — a close peer to Driffield's combination of annual show plus venue hire.
• Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (Royal Highland Show): Runs the Royal Highland Show and the Royal Highland Centre venue, with livestock judging, trade exhibitors, and education activities — structurally analogous to Driffield's annual show and venue-hire mix.
• Kent County Agricultural Society (Kent County Showground): Operates the Kent County Showground, including the Kent County Show, trade exhibitors, and a venue/events business — a strong direct peer in the regional agricultural-society showground segment.
• Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association (Royal Cornwall Show): Hosts the Royal Cornwall Show and the Royal Cornwall Events Centre, combining an annual agricultural exhibition with venue hire — structurally identical to Driffield's model.
• Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (Royal Norfolk Show): Operates the Royal Norfolk Show and Norfolk Showground with trade exhibitors and venue hire — directly comparable annual agricultural exhibition plus venue-rental business.
• Lincolnshire Agricultural Society (Lincolnshire Showground): Runs the Lincolnshire Showground, hosting the Lincolnshire Show, trade stands, and year-round event hire plus the Lincolnshire Education Centre — closely matches Driffield's profile.
• Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (Royal Welsh Show): Manages the Royal Welsh Showground, hosting the flagship Royal Welsh Show plus year-round events and education initiatives — a direct peer in the UK regional agricultural-showground category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thedriffieldshowground
• Instagraminstagram.com/driffieldshowground
• Xx.com/driffieldshow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/driffield-showground-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Driffield Showground