A YORK show has come fully back to life after two years of disruption caused by the pandemic.

The Fulford Show had to be cancelled altogether in 2020 and last year's event was outdoor only, because indoor activities in the social hall would not have been Covid safe.

But on this year's Bank Holiday Monday, the hall was back to its traditional displays of fruit, flowers, vegetables, cookery, preserves, cakes and handicrafts, albeit with a reduced number of categories to ensure the safety and comfort of visitors and volunteers.

All exhibit classes were open to those living, working, attending school or classes, or with allotments in St Oswald’s Parish and adjoining communities of Badger Hill, Heslington and Crockey Hill.

Cups and prizes were presented by the Reverend Sue Sheriff, Vicar of St Oswald’s.

The outdoor show took place on the School Lane field and featured 59 stalls this year, said show chair Verna Campbell.

"It's been absolutely fantastic," she said.

The weather was cloudy and cooler than it's been recently in York, but she said it was important that it didn't at least rain or blow a gale.

To make up for the lack of a show in 2020, stallholders came for free last year, which meant that the show ran at a loss. 

Verna said stallholders paid a small fee again today and she expected the show to make a small profit, which would go to Fulford charities.

She said the show had been going for well over 100 years, and it was Fulford where the first Yorkshire Agricultural Society show - later to become the Great Yorkshire Show - was staged in 1838.

The event is said to have been such a success that police had to use their batons to restore order among the large numbers of visitors when they began to force their way in without paying.

Today's show, opened by the Lord Mayor of York, Cllr David Carr, didn't attract quite the same levels of drama but there was noise and fun with displays of drumming by the Tengu Taiko Japanese Drummers, who also allowed children to have a go on the huge drums.

There was also a children's fancy dress competition, races and a tug of war contest.
Children also enjoyed clambering on a North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service fire engine, while little Amelie Castle, from the nearby Germany Beck development, had fun with a hammer on a Mickey Mouse fairground strength tester, run by the York branch of the British Lung Foundation.

The show also featured a recycling pitch, run by the Cleaner Greener Fulford group.

Visitors were invited to bring along any items which they no longer needed, such as children's toys, books, household ornaments, gardening equipment, and hand tools, and other visitors were invited to take them away at no charge.