Local Events

The show season started in a regal fashion in 2009 as The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited the Viaer Marchi where they were treated to a traditional Guernsey evening including dancing and bean jar.

A sheep with 'jockey' at the races

In July the people of Sark, and many visitors, gathered in the Millennium Field for the island's answer to Ascot. Sheep raced along a specially made track and awards were given for best lady's hat and best man's waistcoat.

Back in Guernsey and the summer's first agricultural show was the Royal Guernsey Agricultural Show, which showcased the best of the island's cattle and livestock including Guernsey cows, golden Guernsey goats and horses.

A more recent, but none the less extremely popular, event is the Torteval Scarecrow weekend which saw parishioners challenged to make and display scarecrows around the parish.

An inventive scarecrow in Torteval

As August started it was Alderney's turn to step into the limelight with Alderney Week, in 2009 the opening cavalcade, and the week as a whole, was themed around the topic of Around The World In 8 Days.

Traditionally Guernsey had three big summer shows for each area of the island. The South Show has scaled down, but its presence is still felt in the St Martins, St Andrews and Forest horticultural communities.

Miss Guernsey's float in the Alderney Week parade

The second of the traditional 'big three' happens on the old aerodrome at L'Eree and in 2009 the West Show featured a reenactment of La Laongue Veile, a market held in town every Christmas in years past.

Fitting in between the West and North Shows the Lions Club of Guernsey held their Donkey Derby event at Saumarez Park. With an emphasis on charity the event featured donkey racing alongside charity stalls and a display of classic cars.

The Battle of Flowers by night

The final show of the summer is arguably the biggest as the North Show took over Saumarez Park for the traditional agricultural and horticultural events on the first day and the Battle of Flowers on the second day featuring hand made floats constructed of thousands upon thousands of flowers.