A bigger and better Discovery Zone at the 167th Great Yorkshire Show will connect the stories of farming and nature for young visitors.
This dedicated area for children and families, sponsored by National Grid, is located next to the Garden Show and is being enhanced with a wildflower walkway and an interactive sustainable farming workshop for this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, which takes place on Tuesday 14 – Friday 17 July.
The wildflower walkway, sowed with seeds from Frontier Agriculture, takes visitors on a journey through the important role of pollinators and to the art of beekeeping in the Hives and Honey section, where beekeepers from across Yorkshire present distinctive local honey products in pursuit of prized rosettes, alongside an observation hive and bee handling demonstrations.
Pollinators contribute to 35 percent of global crop production, supporting 87 of the 115 leading food crops, including fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, according to the UN.
Little Seed Oil are newcomers to the Discovery Zone for 2026 and will tell the story of sustainable farming and healthy soils in a fun way to inspire children about how nature and farming work together as part of carefully managed landscapes.
Tickets for the Great Yorkshire Show are on sale now and are available to purchase in advance only, with prices frozen at the same rate as last year.
Rachel Coates, Show Director said:
It is so important for new generations to grow up with an understanding of how soils, insects and farming are all connected as part of a delicate balance to produce the food that sustains us all. It is a story we are keen to celebrate at the Show, to help our visitors really appreciate British produce and the role of farmers.
Commercial farms that excel in nurturing conversation and the environment are recognised at the Great Yorkshire Show with the award of the Tye Trophy, with the winners announced on Wednesday 15 July.
There will be a wide range of activities for all ages in the Discovery Zone such as a mini Fodder food hall, drystone walling, birds of prey, crafts, wood shaving, pedal tractors, face painting and soft play, and a new dedicated gazebo offers a quiet area for families.
Next to the Discovery Zone is a picnic area, sponsored by Nestlé, offering views across the Show and where the hillside will be adorned with cover crops spelling out the initials, YAS. Activities in the Discovery Zone are free, funded by show organisers, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
The Society’s annual School Veg Box Competition for primary schools has attracted a record 31 entries and culminates in a display of 12 finalists’ veg boxes in the Discovery Zone. All show visitors are welcome at the nearby Garden Show Stage at 1pm on Wednesday 15 July when the winners are revealed.
Schools benefit from discounted group bookings to bring pupils to the Great Yorkshire Show for a fun, educational day out. See www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/school-visits
To make a visit to the Show even more accessible, ASDA – sponsors the Veg Box Competition, Co-op and McDonald’s are kindly contributing to the transport costs of some school visits. Schools can enquire for support by emailing education@yas.co.uk
