This summer's Royal Norfolk Show promises to be "the most diverse and inclusive ever" - with a multicultural carnival atmosphere and free parking for everyone.
It is now just six weeks until the county's spectacular annual showcase returns to the Norfolk Showground in Costessey on June 24 and 25.
The UK’s largest two-day agricultural event attracts around 80,000 visitors each year, to sample the finest Norfolk food and drink, enjoy live performances and entertainment, and see 3,000 animals in the traditional livestock and equestrian competitions.
And this year, the key theme of "Celebrating Culture and Collaboration" will be at the heart of the programme across the showground.
It includes the Carnival of Cultures - the biggest carnival procession ever staged at the show, giving both days a "vibrant, colourful and joyous finale".
Performing arts groups including African Choir of Norfolk, Norwich Cuban Salsa, Fine City Samba, International Drummers, Rosy May, Kenninghall Morris, Norwich Pageantry Group, the Garage and hundreds of school children will make their way to the Grand Ring to perform "Umoja" - adopted as the show's first-ever theme tune.
Named after the Swahili word for unity or togetherness, the "uplifting" anthem was written by electronic music group Addictive TV, using recordings of musicians across the world from its Orchestra of Samples project, with vocals by Obase-Aboli and Anna Mudeka.
The theme of inclusion and diversity is continued through a series of events shining a spotlight on Norfolk's female farmers during the International Year of the Woman Farmer, a farming skills challenge for students from across Europe, and a host of educational events for more than 15,000 schoolchildren.
And organisers are introducing free car parking for everyone this year in a bid to "make the show as accessible as possible".
Mark Nicholas, chief executive of show organisers the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA), said: “I think if you aggregate all of this up, we've probably got the most diverse and inclusive Royal Norfolk Show ever.
"We live in a very contested, chaotic world at the moment, so we want to use the show as an opportunity to really bring people together.
"We want to create a sense of colour, noise and spectacle at the Royal Norfolk Show this year, which more accurately reflects all of the ethnically and culturally diverse groups that make up our communities, so that we can genuinely be 'Norfolk Together'."
Mr Nicholas said a key part of this idea was a cultural engagement initiative to invite more than 60 diverse organisations to come to the show this year as the RNAA's guests.
They range from the Ouse Washes Molly Dancers through to members of Norfolk's Bangladeshi, Jewish and Zimbabwean communities, as well as a Polish language school, Ukrainian dancers and many others.
The international theme continues with the Agro Challenge, which is being held in the UK for the first time in partnership with Easton College - who will field one of the teams from land-based colleges in 18 European countries, competing in a series of 18 events ranging from sheep shearing to precision tractor driving.
"That's another international dimension to this year's show, which I'm really excited about, and we are also shining a spotlight on women in farming," said Mr Nicholas.
"As this is the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and we're choosing to bring that to light in a number of ways, not least a commissioned project which will provide case studies and photographic portraits of certain ladies in farming in Norfolk."
New attractions and familiar favourites
This year's entertainment programme sees debut appearances by the Marching Band of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and jousting by the Knights of Medieval England, alongside Grand Ring favourites such as the Grand Parade of Shire Horses and Cattle, plus the RAF Falcons parachute display team.
Other new attractions include the Adnams "Beach Eats" zone, creating a "laid-back coastal retreat" in the heart of the showground.
Meanwhile the Military Village will include a water tank with professional divers playing noughts and crosses with the public, and the Whitwell & Reepham Engineering Club will be operating a narrow-gauge miniature railway for steam engine rides.
In the livestock rings, national breed society shows for Belted Galloway, Beef Shorthorn and British Simmental cattle are expected to draw competitors from across the country, while the equestrian arenas feature 40 qualifiers for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), one of the UK’s most prestigious equestrian events.
Food, business and learning
As ever, the Royal Norfolk Show is a shop window for the region's best food and drink, through the showground's eight food courts, the new Norfolk Food Hall and the Food & Drink Experience, which showcases more 100 artisan producers.
The event remains an important hub for the business community, with more than 700 trade stands, the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce's Norfolk Business Zone and a new-look Innovation Hub showcasing research and development under way at the UEA, Norwich Research Park and Hethel Innovation.
On the educational front, show organisers hope to beat last year's record by welcoming more than 15,000 young people from 160 schools and colleges.
Learning initiatives include the Discovery Zone, which focuses on Norfolk’s agricultural connection to mint and mustard, and the STEMM Village, aiming to uncover "Hidden Worlds: From Microbes to Megawatts".
This year's show also celebrates important milestones including the 80th anniversary of the Norfolk Farm Machinery Club (Normac) and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's centenary.
For more information and tickets, see www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk.
