Chatsworth Country Fair

Last year, we experienced our first-ever Chatsworth Country Fair. And it’s safe to say, we will definitely be visiting again this year. Tickets are now on sale but if you’re unsure of what exactly Chatsworth Country Fair is or what happens there, we’ve put together a quick guide.

Chatsworth House

Chatsworth Country Fair is held on the grounds of Chatsworth House. This stately home has got to be, in my opinion, the best in the country. The house is absolutely huge and you do feel rather dwarfed standing near it. The home still belongs to the Cavendish family to whom it has belonged since 1549. To this day, the house is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire.

The building you see today is the product of careful works that have been conducted on the structure since the 16th century. 16 generations of the Cavendish family have made their mark on the home and created something absolutely breathtaking.

Here is Chatsworth looking rather picturesque in the snow earlier this year!

Every year the Chatsworth Estate hold a country fair. Here you’ll find entertainment, pop-up shops, pop-up restaurants and lots of tweed! It’s a great day out for adults and kids and best of all, you can bring your dog! The whole event is held outdoors sprawling across the Magetstic Chatsworth Estate.

Parking is available on site and the event runs from 9 am to 6.30 pm daily.

Entertainment

I simply wouldn’t have time or space to list all the events held at Chatsworth Country Fair, there is honestly so much going on there! But I will give you a flavour of some of the main events of the weekend.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much of the grand ring entertainment last year, but we certainly are hoping to this year! Last year we caught a glimpse of the motorcycle daredevil display and some of the equestrian displays. In 2023 there is a jam-packed programme, such as JCB dancing diggers, mounted games and dog racing.

We sat and watched the horse driving while we had a picnic last year and I am pleased to see this event will be held again this year.

As the name suggests, the theme of the fair is country life and so expect to see quite a lot of animal-related activities. We hope to watch the dog agility competitions this year as well as the gun dogs in action. The sheepdog trials are also a popular annual event which always attracts a large crowd.

You’ll also see lots of other events such as the highland dancing display and the farriers battling it out to produce the best-made horseshoes.

Have a Go

Last year, my daughter loved the have a go element of the country fair. She took part in agility courses, and archery and even climbed aboard an army tank and aimed a missile.

There are lots of things for the grown-ups too, such as having a go shooting. The have-a-go fishing arena was very popular with the Dads. There’s also something for our furry friends, like the dog race competitions.

The Fairground

To keep the kids fully entertained, I can strongly recommend the fairground. Here you’ll find numerous rides, including a helter-skelter and a climbing wall.

There’s also a merry-go-round and bumper cars. This year, there is an exotic animal encounter area where children can experience these wonderful animals up close.

For the Foodies

To say there is a wide selection of foods available to eat at the event and to take home with you would be an understatement. We could have spent days walking around and experiencing all the sights and smells of the culinary delights on offer.

As well as mouth-watering food, everything from bbq food to Turkish delight, celebrity chefs are also to make appearances at the fair. Last year we caught a glimpse of Mary Berry as she embarked on a golf buggy, ready to take her to her cooking demonstration. This year, Mary Berry with return along with James Martin and Mark Tebbutt as well as numerous other famous faces.

Although not my kind of thing, these events certainly attract the crowds.

Shopping

One day was simply not enough time to explore half of the amazing pop-up stores at the fair. You’ll find everything from horse riding gear to golf clubs. Fashion boots to archery sets. We loved walking around the innumerable gift shops which were stretched out across the grounds as far as the eye could see. The dogs were excited to purchase some treats from the pet area.

I stocked up on some winter attire for my daughter from various clothing stores. We even bought a beautiful light-up picture frame for our daughter’s birthday. I must have walked back to the car 3 times to unload our bags! The gifts, the clothes, gadgets and all were unique and very reasonably priced.

We are certainly looking forward to Chatsworth this year and we hope to see you there!

For similar posts, see my family life category.