[SkipRat]

Our Allotment site has decided to have a site veg show a few dates have been suggested.
The show the sites 1st for many years is more designed for fellow plot holders to get together and get to know each other a little better, but cannot decide which would be the best date when lots of veg will be at its best. The dates suggested are,

Middle of June
End of July
Aug Bank holiday (end of month)

The site is in Hull just to give you an idea where we are in the growing season.
In your opinion which would be the most suitable date.?

[Yorkie]

June is far too early for most plants to be ready to harvest unless you have the advantage of a decent size greenhouse.

I'd go for either the end of July or the August bank holiday.  Calculate which veg classes you're likely to want people to 'show' in, and check that veggies will be ready for sufficient types of growers to satisfy that.

Also consider your target audience.  Both of the latter dates are in the school holidays.  Many families will have gone away for the July date.  They are likely to be back for the August date, but it's likely to be the weekend before term starts so you may get poor attendance.

Speaking from experience, we moved our date back into the first weekend of September after the schools went back for the reasons given, because our 'feast' is very family orientated rather than professional show.

[SkipRat]

Thanks for the reply Yorkie, our "feast" is similar to yours its hoped to be a more family/freindly affair, rather then a "pro" type affair

[Salmo]

Our local show is usually about 25th July. At this date there are still plenty of broad beans, peas, french beans, courgettes but often runners are not quite ready, onions are not ripe and there are no leeks, parsnips, pumpkins, celery.

As Yorkie says, see what people want to show.

Many societies have a Summer and an Autumn show

[Yorkie]

Don't forget the 'dinner plate' class (in fact, that's the only one we have!).  Display whatever you like from your plot on a dinner plate - no bigger - and everyone gets a certificate with an erudite comment written on it, no winners and no losers.  Fantastic for the kids 

[totalnovice]

Sounds like something i might mention to the association, a just for fun show to go along side the open day (usually held aug bank holiday weekend).

[skyelass]

I would say the later of any dates for my growing season, of course there is nothing stopping us waiting until the ideal time according to our latitude and then making a slightly later closing date. Afterall its photographs we are using.