By Betsy Everett
Organisers of Askrigg’s annual produce show are welcoming a bumper crop of entries for the bank holiday event which is celebrating its 80th year.
They could have called the whole thing off when lockdown, social distancing, and rules and regulations surrounding the coronavirus crisis came into play, making it impossible to hold it as normal in the village hall.
Instead, they took an early – and bold – decision to carry on, inviting entries from far and wide for the annual extravaganza, but with a difference: the show would go online.
Now, with show day approaching fast – it’s next Sunday, August 30 – committee chairman Mike Dechezeaux says the decision has paid off, with many regular, and new, exhibitors, entering the online fray.
“It has produced its own challenges such as setting up a dedicated show website, re-writing the schedule – we didn’t think that we could ask a judge to assess wines and cordials from a photograph, for example – and then trying to get our talented exhibitors to not only create their masterpieces but to photograph them and email them in to us.
“Many of our regular exhibitors and lots of new ones have been busy during this unsettling season and we have had a very pleasing assortment of entries,” says Mike.
However, more would be welcome “to make the judges work that little bit harder.”
There’s something for all, from floral art to horticulture, vegetable delights to vegetable disasters, art, photography and crafts, and several children’s sections.
“We allow entries from locals and visitors alike,” says Mike. “One of the benefits of having to run the show online was that we might get more entries from outside the area. We did get a very nice email from one of our previous exhibitors who now lives in Australia: definitely a long way out of the Askrigg parish boundary.”
Entries are welcome right up to midnight this Friday, August 28: full details of the categories and how to enter can be found at www.askriggproduceshow.weebly.com
Entries can be emailed to askriggshow2020@btinternet.com.
Category and class should be included in the subject line.
