Banbury Show

The Banbury Show is the town council's free day out in Spiceball Country Park, held on a Saturday in mid-June from 10am to 5pm. The last three were on 15 June 2024, 14 June 2025 and 13 June 2026. The date for 2027 is to be confirmed. The second Saturday of June, as in 2025 and 2026, would be 12 June 2027, and we show that date for now, but it is our reading of the pattern, not an announced date. Look for the council's 2027 calendar in the new year; we will confirm the date here when it appears.

What happens on the day

The show is built around a main arena, and the headline acts change every year. In 2026 the council billed two camels from Joseph's Amazing Camels, one dromedary and one Bactrian, with a talk from their handlers, and Defying Gravity, a team of BMX stunt riders. In 2025 the bill had a falconry display and the strongman John Evans. In 2024 there were the Craigscourt Gundogs, RPM Bike Displays, an RAF Air Cadets parade and a fire crew showing how to free someone from a damaged car.

Around the arena you will find a live music stage and a trailer stage run with Banbury Music Mix Radio, both for local performers, along with fairground rides, balloon modelling, face painting, food stalls and tables from local charities and societies. The council says attendance often runs into the thousands.

It suits families with children and anyone local who wants an easy day out. It is a town show of local acts and local groups, and we found no sign of the livestock classes of a county show, so it may not repay a long drive by itself. Pair it with the rest of Banbury.

What it costs

Entry is free, as the council says of all its events. Rides, food and stalls are paid for on the day, and the council publishes no prices for them, though it describes the day as low cost.

Getting there and parking

The park is a few minutes on foot from Castle Quay, and the town council gives its address as Cherwell Drive, OX16 2RD. Banbury station is about five minutes' walk from the Town Hall, so the train works well. The council publishes no parking plan for the show, so use the ordinary car parks. Riverside on Cherwell Drive (OX16 2AY) is the nearest to the main entrance but has only 44 spaces, at £1.60 for up to an hour from July 2026. Waterworks on Grimsbury Green (OX16 3JJ) is free for park users. Castle Quay South has 530 spaces. All the charges are on our Banbury parking page.

What we could not confirm

The council's show pages say nothing about dogs, toilets or step-free routes, so ring 01295 250340 if any of those decide your day. The 2024 show went ahead in poor weather, so bring a coat whatever the forecast. It has also been called the Banbury and District Show. We could not establish when the first was held.