Contrary Life

Contrary Life is a website covering quirky events across the UK.

  • Home
  • About
  • Events by region
    • North East
    • North West
    • Yorkshire
    • East Midlands
    • West Midlands
    • East
    • London
    • South East
    • South West
    • Scotland
    • Northern Ireland
    • Wales
Home > Exhibition > The humble gooseberry celebrated in traditional show

The humble gooseberry celebrated in traditional show

By Caroline King - August 4, 2019Posted in : Exhibition, Food & Drink, Heritage

Every summer, Yorkshire hosts a traditional celebration of the humble gooseberry. First established back in 1800, the annual Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show is the oldest surviving gooseberry show in the world.

Gooseberries - Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show 2018
The humble gooseberry (Photo: Pavel Leman)

Hosted by the Egton Bridge Old Gooseberry Society, the show still attracts plenty of keen gardeners, all hoping their biggest gooseberries will win the show. There are four classes; red gooseberries, yellow ones, green ones and white ones (and I bet you thought gooseberries were simply green).

The heaviest gooseberry is determined by an old-fashioned apothecary scale, measured in drams and grains. Past record winners have weighed in at 33 drams (that’s the size of a golf ball). In 2009 a new world record was set, at 35 drams exactly. This has yet to be beaten, but perhaps this year will produce a record breaker.

So, why not show some respect to this much side-lined fruit, and help keep this tradition going, by popping along to see the array of berries on display? The berries can be seen on display from 2pm and there’ll be afternoon teas and live music during the event.

When: 6th August 2019
Where: St. Hedda’s Primary School, Egton Bridge, North Yorkshire
£: Free

More info: www.egtongooseberryshow.org.uk

Related Posts

  • Quirky scarecrows take over Kettlewell in Yorkshire
  • Get your fill of fruit fairs in the South East

Tagged With: Free events, North Yorkshire events, Yorkshire

Curiosity of the Week

Take a ride through history at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool Pleasure Beach sign

For our latest Curiosity of the Week, we thought we’d bring you a bit of cheery escapism in the form of fairground rides!

Top Story

Discover nocturnal wildlife wonders at Virtual Dark Skies Festival
Dalby Forest North York Moors Dark Skies cSteve Bell

This year’s Dark Skies Festival is going virtual to help you explore space, nocturnal wildlife and the night sky…

What are you looking for today?

  • Alternative Sport
  • Art
  • Cabaret and Circus
  • Cinema
  • Classes, Workshops & Talks
  • Club Night
  • Comedy
  • Dance
  • Exhibitions and Installations
  • Fairs and Markets
  • Festival
  • Food & Drink
  • Heritage and History
  • Interview
  • Literature
  • Museum
  • Music
  • Nature and Outdoors
  • Review
  • Science and Technology
  • Theatre
  • Walks and Tours

Sign up to our Newsletter

Copyright © 2021 · Contrary Life