A craft beer expo which includes a malting barley competition and a home brewing display will be part of this year’s Kildare County Show.
The long-established annual event will take place on Fathers’ Day, Sunday, June 18, at Athy Showgrounds at 11:00am.
Founded at the start of the 20th century, the Kildare Show organisers have always prided themselves on keeping up with the times.
It’s little wonder then that the hipster favourite, craft beer, makes an appearance on this year’s Kildare Show programme.
The home produce section will include a qualifier for the Aldi brown bread baking competition, which will be held at the National Ploughing Championships.
The Kildare County Chamber and Kildare Enterprise Board will have a business marquee, with up to 50 new trade stands.
Other events will include a cattle breeds display; the highly-popular dog show; a world war exhibition; crafts; and a showcase of vintage tractors and cars.
There will also be sheep shearing; sheepdog trials; and a butter-making demonstration.
Family entertainment will include juggling; bubble soccer; pets’ corner; Lego displays; treasure hunts; games; and live music.
Admission is €5 and accompanied children will be admitted free of charge.
The event was originally known as South Kildare Agricultural and Horticultural Show.
The show society went out of existence in the 1930s but was revived in the late 1940s. It ceased again in 1971.
Thanks to the efforts of the National Ploughing Association’s Anna May McHugh, the Kildare County Show Society was once again formed in the 1990s with McHugh as its first president.
The society held its first show in 1995 and this has continued annually with the exception of 2001 due to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease.