Dorset County Show is moving to a new home in 2027, after 26 years at its current showground on the outskirts of Dorchester. The annual agricultural show, which attracts around 60,000 visitors, will relocate from Cokers Frome to Pigeon House Farm on Slyers Lane – just a few fields away.
The move follows plans for development on the existing showground and will not only provide security, but also additional space for the event to expand.
Speaking exclusively to Dorset Life, Show Organiser James Cox revealed that the search for a suitable new home had been under way for many months: ‘The show has been looking for some time – making this even more exciting for all involved. We have a long criteria for any potential site, and feel this is the perfect one.’
With the announcement now made, preparations for the 2027 show are already beginning.
‘I have a very busy winter ahead,’ James told Dorset Life. ‘From Monday I will be out in the fields with my measuring wheel to begin planning the 2027 show. There are a lot of discussions to have, with everything from traffic management to our livestock sections.
‘We hit the ground running with a meeting with our traffic management provider on Monday.’
Although the showground is changing, the journey will remain familiar to regular visitors. The new site retains the same postcode, with car parks accessed from the same road. Some of the land has already been used for visitor parking, becoming an important part of the show’s vehicle arrival routes in 2024.
The new location offers additional acreage and opportunities to invest in infrastructure, allowing the show to accommodate its growing number of visitors, exhibitors, campers and attractions.
For James, the move is also an opportunity to rethink how the event is laid out and what it can offer: ‘It’s currently a blank canvas, ‘ he says. ‘We can’t wait to get to work – watch this space, we have some BIG things in the pipeline!’
Organisers have thanked the landowners at Cokers Frome for hosting the show over the past 26 years and say further details of new attractions and developments will be announced over the coming months.The first Dorset County Show at Pigeon House Farm will take place on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September 2027.
Dorsetcountyshow.co.uk
