The Kelmscott Agricultural Show

The Kelmscott Agricultural Show

The Kelmscott Agricultural Show is an annual fun family event run by the Kelmscott Agricultural Society for the local community. 

It is held on the 3rd weekend in October at Rushton Park Showgrounds, commencing Friday afternoon and running all day Saturday.

There are exhibits of animals, craft work and various forms of produce, a sideshow alley, music and magic displays, stalls and a river market. On the Friday night there is a fireworks spectacular. 

It is always well attended, and is an extremely popular event on the local calendar. 

The history of the show goes back to the late 19^th century. 

The first show was held by the Kelmscott Farmers and Fruit Growers Society on Wednesday February 3^rd 1897 at Kelmscott Hall, and consisted of exhibitions of fruit, poultry, vegetables and what were known as ‘housewifely products’. The festivities were brought to a close with dinner and a dance. 

The name of the organising body underwent some changes. From 1898 it was run by the Kelmscott and Armadale Agricultural Society, which became the Kelmscott Agricultural Society in 1905. It then remained under their auspices, apart from a period in the 1920s, when the group was renamed the Kelmscott Agricultural and Horticultural Society. 

Until 1911 two shows were held a year, in February and October, although there were no recorded shows in 1904 or February 1905. The February show was mainly for the wine and grape industry, while the October show was for spring produce. From 1912 the February shows were discontinued, and only one show a year was run, in October, at first on a Monday, but this moved to a Saturday in 1921. During the 1930s the show was put into recess as it was not garnering much public support, probably due to the effects of the Great Depression, but it resumed in 1938, and has been run every year since. From 1948 onwards it was held over two days, Friday and Saturday, as it is today. 

Displays of agricultural and dairy products remained a staple of the shows, but there was also farm animal displays, home industry products, log chopping, horse and foot racing. Prizes were issued in many categories. In 1945 District Displays were introduced. Initially there were three districts: Kelmscott, Armadale/Bedford/Byford, and Roleystone/Karragullen, with Gosnells being added in 1950. Each district made a display of their produce, competing against the other districts, in which Roleystone/Karragullen had much success. These displays were very popular with the public, and it was thought that many people came just to see them.  However the competitive displays finished after 1960 when two of the districts withdrew, and District Displays came to an end a few years later. 

After this, the variety of items on display gradually increased, with more arts and crafts, photographic exhibitions and non-farm animals being exhibited, alongside the more traditional displays.  And so gradually the Kelmscott Agricultural Show evolved into the wonderful community event we have today.