The county's Shows may go on

However, ‘the show must go on” is the motto for the many volunteers who organise these popular events across the county, despite the uncertainty over organised public events.

Heckington Show is the UK’s biggest village show, held on the last weekend in July, with a full itinerary of entertainment, heritage stands, showjumping and livestock, as well as hundreds of stalls from businesses across the country.

When the pandemic hit and the committee took the decision that the show could not be held safely in its current format, they looked at what could be done online.

Show chairman Mr Charles Pinchbeck said: “We were able to hold a horticulture show online, and the limited classes did not limit enthusiasm.

“In the village, the decorated house competition was as popular as ever, and gave the village a welcome lift in spirits. We were also able to function on a wider stage.

“It touches people in so many different ways, the exhibitors enjoy making and growing things for the competitions and we wanted to give them the opportunity to take part somehow.”

The committee will be making a decision about whether or not to go ahead with 20201’s event, scheduled to take place over July 24 and 25, next month.

Mr Pinchbeck said that the team had plans in place to either host the show online, or to go ahead in its traditional format over the fields of Heckington.

“We had a discussion at the beginning of the year about how much things can change in seven weeks, so in seven months, who knows?

"People look forward to the show so much, and we've spent a year in solitary confinement and people want to be able to get out and spend time with their families and friends, and the show is the perfect way to do that.

"Obviously, we'll only do it if it is safe to do so."

For updates on 2021's Heckington Show, visit www.heckingtonshow.org.uk/A decision will also be made in March on another popular country show - Woodhall Spa Country Show - which promises a huge amount of things to see and do including donkey rides, classic vehicles and vintage tractors, trade stalls, a heritage and craft marquee, exotic animals and live music.

As the country was just a couple of months into the pandemic when the show was scheduled to take place on May 17, the committee agreed early in the year to cancel the show for the safety of their visitors and traders.

Rural life market co-ordinator and committee member Sue Stennett said: “It was very disappointing, but we’ve had so many positive Facebook comments and getting lots of support from people hoping we can do it this year.

“We’re an inclusive show, that’s our motto, and we want to offer something for everyone.”

The committee will be making a decision next month on the future of 2021’s show, which will hopefully take place on May 23.

In the meantime, Sue said that the committee is putting plans in place to get everything ready at a moment’s notice if the show can go ahead.

“We’ve been doing this for 15 years so we know what we’re doing, and we’ve all got our areas we’re responsible for so we’ll be ready to go - if we can.”

To keep up to date with 2021's Woodhall Spa Country Show, visit www.woodhallspashow.co.uk/For the committee organising the popular Wrangle Show, the uncertainty over this year's event goes on and on.

Secretary Adele Trodd said: "It was so disappointing when we had to cancel last year's event, as our show is in July we normally start planning the previous September and when the pandemic hit, we were well on with the organising and we had to go through the process of cancelling everything.

"Because of the type of show we are, as we have an arena which we have a big act in which needs to be booked well in advance and we signed a contract, but luckily the company we had were really nice about it."

Luckily, most of the performers and stall holders planning to attend 2020's show have carried their booking over to this year in the hope that the show will go ahead.

Adele said that the committee has so far been unable to organise many things it normally would have by this time of the year, such as sending our produce show forms.

"We follow the news like everyone else but there's been no indication that large gatherings will be able to take place and for big events like this, there's so many things that need to be in place to keep everyone safe," Adele explained.

"I run the tea tent and it's even something as simple as knowing whether we need to order in dozens of loaves of bread or not.

"We just don't know at this stage if we'll have a show or not, we can't give a definitive yes or no, we've just got to watch this space."

To keep up to date on Wrangle Show, visit www.wrangleshow.co.uk/Lincolnshire Show has been run by The Lincolnshire Agricultural Society for more than 150 years, and last year, moved from the Lincolnshire Showground to an online format for the first time in response to the pandemic, which saw more than 60,000 visitors log on during the day.

The Lincolnshire Show Online also raised £1,500 from its promise auction, with all proceeds donated to the Showground’s chosen charities.

Jayne Southall, show CEO, said: "We cancelled it in March when lockdown was announced and put the show online.

"We managed to get it online within four weeks and it went down really well, we had some great feedback, especially from people who had never been to the show before as it gave them a taste of what we have to offer."

The show's committee is waiting until the government's next announcement on February 22 which should include guidance on outdoor events, and a decision as to the future of this year's show will be made shortly after.

"We're working in the background to hopefully be able to put the show on this year," Jayne said, "Everyone wants the show to go ahead and we all do too, but we've got to make sure we can do it taking into account the government's guidance and everyone's safety.

"We're hoping we can do it but we're in such strange times."

For updates on the show, visit lincolnshireshow.co.uk/