Visitors to the Weald & Downland Living Museum’s Autumn Countryside Show on 7 and 8 October will experience the immersive autumnal sights and sounds of the countryside at the end of the harvest. This popular show features traditional working demonstrations, including heavy horses and vintage tractors ploughing, steam-powered threshing, plus a horticultural show, rural craft demonstrations, displays, competitions and stands with a countryside theme.
The Museum’s 40-acre downland site is the perfect location for this annual festival, which showcases traditional countryside activities. Working plough horses are a firm favourite, with the Museum’s own Shire horses among the teams at work. Vintage tractors will prepare the ground for sowing after the harvest and a diverse collection of tractors and farm implements will be on display.
The weekend’s celebrations also include falconry displays plus the Dog and Duck Show, which offers spectators a fascinating insight into canine behaviour and training using dogs’ natural instincts. Watch as the expert sheep dogs herd ducks over and around an obstacle course. On the Sunday, there’s a fun dog show for the family to enjoy.
The threshing of the Museum’s wheat crop – separating the grain from the straw – is one of the event’s main attractions. In the days before combine harvesters, the ‘threshing train’ was a common sight and usually comprised a steam traction engine, threshing drum, elevator, and living van used by the engine driver and his mate.
The annual horticultural show is included as part of the show, with classes to suit all ages, ranging from vegetables to woodwork, marmalade to mini scarecrows. Entry forms can be accessed online at www.wealddown.co.uk/whats-on/horticultural-show/. Look out for colourful displays of flowers created by the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) whose stand can be found in the horticultural marquee – the talented team will be laying a flower trail, beginning at the event entrance and throughout the Museum. There will also be displays from local clubs, societies and the Museum’s gardening team, plus traditional craft demonstrations.
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of food and drinks from stalls in the Food Village, the Museum’s new waterside café Wattle & Daub will be open, plus there are outdoor picnic areas. Dogs on short leads are welcome and there is free parking. The Museum is open for the Autumn Countryside Show on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October, from 10.30am-5pm. Regular Museum entry charges apply (free for Annual Members), which include admission to the show.
