The Game Fair has once again demonstrated why it remains the UK’s largest and most influential festival of the countryside, bringing together 125,000 visitors for three unforgettable days at the magnificent Ragley Hall estate in Warwickshire at the weekend. The 2026 event showcased the very best of rural life, fieldsports, food, conservation, country fashion, working dogs, fishing and family entertainment.
Across the showground, visitors were treated to an action-packed programme of world-class fieldsports competitions, Main Arena displays, hands-on experiences, and premium countryside shopping. Headline additions for 2026 included Henry Cole’s Shed & Buried HQ and the Modern Ruralist Traditional Craft Yard, which showcased iconic British heritage crafts like dry stone walling and axe making. Adding to the weekend’s milestones, historic Italian gunmaker Beretta celebrated its remarkable 500th anniversary on Saturday.
Food and drink played a starring role throughout the weekend. The ever-popular Totally Food area and Great Taste Market celebrated the finest British produce, while live cooking demonstrations at the BASC Wild Food Kitchen Theatre sponsored by Global Knives drew enthusiastic crowds. Celebrity chefs including Marco Pierre White and countryside personalities including Channel 4’s Dick & Angel Strawbridge and Merlin Griffiths took to the stage to help showcase the importance of using seasonal produce and traditional ingredients.
Elsewhere, thought-provoking discussions and debates took place in the Carter Jonas Game Fair Theatre addressing key issues facing the countryside, from conservation and land management to rural enterprise and public access. Key speakers included Victoria Atkins MP, Shadow Minister for Defra, as well as Ash Smith and Dr Becky Mulby from the Dirty Business TV series, and British TV presenter, Jeremy Wade. Visitors also had the opportunity to engage directly with leading organisations, experts and campaigners working to secure the future of Britain’s rural communities.
James Gower, Managing Director of The Game Fair, who this year celebrated 10 years at the helm of the event, said: “The Game Fair has once again demonstrated the strength and appeal of the British countryside, bringing together exhibitors, competitors, families and enthusiasts for a fantastic weekend at Ragley Hall. It was especially encouraging to see reports of gun sales reaching their highest levels in a decade, highlighting continued confidence in and enthusiasm for the fieldsports sector. As always, my thanks go to our visitors, exhibitors, sponsors, partners, volunteers and the entire team whose hard work and commitment made this year’s event such a success.”
Ian Bell, chief executive of BASC, the main sponsor of The Game Fair, said: “This year’s Game Fair was another outstanding celebration of the countryside, showcasing the passion and commitment of everyone involved in shooting and conservation. BASC was pleased to welcome tens of thousands of members and visitors to the show, with our complimentary admission offer helping more people enjoy the event and discover the many attractions, exhibitors and organisations on site. It was a pleasure to meet so many members, celebrate our legal victory over Natural England and engage with people who care deeply about the future of our shared way of life.”
As The Game Fair closes its gates on another successful year, plans are already underway for 2027. Next year’s event will take place from 23–25 July 2027, with the venue set to be revealed soon. More information can be found on The Game Fair’s website: www.thegamefair.org