The City of Durham Show Returns After 25 Years

A group of dedicated local residents is bringing back one of Durham's oldest community traditions. The City of Durham Show, a celebration of home-grown produce, craft and baking that ran for more than sixty years before closing around the turn of the millennium, returns this month after an absence of some twenty-five years. It takes place on Sunday 13 September 2026 at Durham Town Hall, with additional activity spilling out into the Market Place, and entry is free.

A community revival

The show was for decades a fixture of the local calendar, a chance for gardeners, growers, bakers and makers to bring their best work along and see it judged. When it wound down around 2000, that annual gathering was lost. Its revival has been driven by residents who wanted to give the city back an occasion to share what people grow and make, as reported by Visit County Durham.

Benedict Douglas, who is leading the organising committee, said: "We hope the show will bring back an opportunity for residents to celebrate and share their abilities and passions with friends and neighbours." The event has been supported by Durham Parish Council, Durham University, Durham Rotary Club and a neighbourhood budget contribution from Councillor David Freeman.

What's on show

Classes span the traditional show favourites, from flower arranging and vegetable growing to preserves, baking, knitting and photography, with certificates for the winners. Entry to exhibit is free and open to local gardeners, crafters and bakers.

There is a dedicated Young Exhibitor's class too, built around the theme "Durham of the Future" and including miniature gardens, floral and vegetable crowns, and arts and crafts. It is a nice touch that ties the show's long history to the next generation of Durham growers and makers.

With the Town Hall and the surrounding Market Place at the centre of it, the show sits right in the heart of the city, a short step from the Victorian Durham Market Hall. Anyone keen to enter or find out more can contact organiser Helen Billam at billamhelen@gmail.com.