It's time to rediscover Lancashire post lockdown at top county events

The Royal Lancashire Show is just over two weeks away and its Chairman is hoping to break records this year with a triumphant return after a break due to the pandemic.

Chorley Flower Show is back at Astley Hall from July 30 - August 1 and the Highest Point Music Festival returns to Lancaster in September with a line up of international and home grown stars.

At the Royal Lancashire Show Chairman Colin Mustoe reports early ticket sales are going well and this year there will be the bonus of many added farming attractions, including more livestock and vintage tractors at its Salesbury Hall showground in Ribchester.

With 20,000 visitors hoped for over the show's three days ( July 30/31 and August 1) Colin emphasised that this is a mostly outdoor event, which will be ideal for those seeking a day out post lockdown. He added that the show has also invested in a special aluminium trackway which will allow easy access round the site for people in wheelchairs, using motability scooters or with pushchairs.

He said: "It's called the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show. Over the years the agricultural side tended to be fading away. That has changed. We have over 1,000 animals at the show - in excess of 650 sheep, 260 cattle, pigs, poultry, rabbits, pygmy goats and alpacas."

Those numbers are , he emphasised, in addition to "a huge number of horses." He is also delighted that there will be the major Stairway show jumping event in the Salesbury arena which offers £7,500 prize money ,

He said: "I think they (show goers) will have a great day out. We've sold about £30,000 of tickets.150 people have joined as members which is very encouraging."

The Highest Point Festival will be able to welcome up to 10,000 people each day at Williamson Park in Lancaster. Spokesman Richard Dyer who devised the Festival which is run by Northern Powerhouse Events, said: "It's our third year for Highest Point.It's normally in May. We've moved it four times and were determined to get it on. We put on a great big music festival with world famous artists. We've got local artists as well as big headliners in the beautiful setting overlooking Morecambe Bay. I would say it's a way to rediscover Lancashire."

The BBC Introducing Stage will feature artists from across the county in a link with BBC Radio Lancashire and the headline artists range from James, the Lightning Seeds,Rag'N'Bone Man to Rudimental, Becky Hill and The Futureheads.

.Meanwhile Marketing Lancashire is working to woo visitors from within the county and further afield to rediscover the delights of Lancashire. Anna Izza, Head of Communication at Marketing Lancashire said: "Certainly these big events draw in thousands of visitors....and businesses around them benefit."

She continued: "Rediscover Lancashire is about drawing people back into Lancashire after the year we've had. It's part of a national campaign by Visit England called Escape The Everyday."

She added: "Our coastline has had quite a revamp in the last decade. They (Visitors) will be very surprised by the changes seen there."

They would also relish the food and drink offer of the Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland and the growth of glamping and other accommodation offers.

Anna said county residents had discovered the closer to home attractions of the county with a range of landscapes and coastal offers which rivalled locations further afield. The Visist Lancashire website reminds visitors: "With less restrictions and ultimate freedom on the horizon, it's time for your comeback tour."

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