As we move into these summer months, many of our dealer readers will be holding their own open days (see the report from Ibbetts today), as well as attending county shows. We hear from many of you regarding just how important these in-person events are to the business, year in and year out.
As we move through the months ahead, please always keep us at Service Dealer updated with the days your organisation is holding or being a part of - and indeed how you feel they’ve benefited (or otherwise) the business this year.
As well as these local-level events of course, as we progress through the industry’s calendar the big national shows come round once again. Next week it’s one of the biggest, with Cereals 2026 taking place on Wednesday and Thursday.
In our news story on the event today, one figure from the organisers really caught my eye more than any other. It wasn’t the number of exhibitors, although that is impressive. Nor was it the amount of machinery demonstrations promised. It wasn’t even the fact that visitors will apparently be able to see Jeremy Clarkson's goats wearing virtual fencing collars.
No, what stood out for me was the expected attendance.
Organisers say they are preparing for more than 25,000 visitors across the two-day event at Diddly Squat Farm. That's an impressive number by any measure and one that I’m sure event organisers across the agricultural and turfcare sectors would love to achieve.
Cereals has always been a major event, of course. It has built a strong reputation over many years as a serious technical show, providing exactly what its target audience of farmers is looking to see, with this year being no different.
But with those numbers they are anticipating and the special measures they are putting in place to cope with arrivals and traffic, I do wonder whether there is something a tad more on top of this at play this year? Basically, is there an extra element that we could term the Clarkson effect?
The organisers have certainly embraced the opportunity that using Diddly Squat and having a household name hosting has afforded. Alongside the regular machinery and technical content, visitors can see the Premier League Trophy, attend a Kaleb Cooper Q&A, meet social media farming personalities and indeed see the goats from off the telly!
I’d be interested to know what our readers think of all these extra add-ons. Are they clever and fun ways to get more people through the gates of an important industry show? Or might some consider them an unnecessary distraction from what is supposed to be a serious, business event where professionals go to learn, network, compare products and make purchasing decisions?
I think from the organisers’ point of view anything and everything that can be done to get punters to leave their place of work and spend a day or two at an event, is essential. My guess is the exhibitors would think that too.
Dealers and farmers are busy. If you're asking a professional to take time away from their business, travel for several hours and spend a day at an exhibition, perhaps the traditional offerings are not enough anymore? Maybe visitors increasingly do need more reasons to tempt them to attend, beyond just looking at new machines?
GroundsFest, as another example, appears to have recognised this. Alongside its machinery exhibits and seminar programme, that show has introduced attractions such as lawnmower racing and the after-hours music and social festival designed to give visitors more of an overall experience. We also see it on a grand scale when we visit Equip in Louisville. The OPEI puts on a huge welcome event, there are celebrity talks at the show, and once the halls and demo zones are closed each night there are free entertainment shows around the town, keeping visitors engaged.
So do we think that attractions above and beyond new kit and educational opportunities are going to be vital part of our trade shows from now on? Will it be these extras that, if not fully drive, but certainly give an extra push to attendance figures? Should ag, turf and construction shows all think about leaning into the showbiz a tad more?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or drop me a line.
