Matt Baker and the BBC Countryfile Live team are heading to Castle Howard – here’s what they’re up to

It’s being billed as the biggest event ever held at Castle Howard.

BBC Countryfile Live descends on the stately home for a four-day countryside carnival from Thursday (15 August).

Presenters Ellie Harrison, Anita Rani, John Craven, Matt Baker, Steve Brown, Charlotte Smith, Adam Henson and Tom Heap will be there to meet the public.

At the same event at Blenheim Palace earlier this month, Matt did around 500 selfies a day.

The event features live arena shows, debates, food, drink, farm-animal demonstrations and shopping from more than 500 traders.

So what can you expect?

Team talks

The Countryfile team will be giving talks and hosting demonstrations, giving the public the chance to talk to their favourite presenter. The main stage features a daily programme of talks and chats as Matt, John, Anita, Steve, Adam, Ellie, Charlotte and Tom all take turns to host throughout the show.

Splashing and snapping

Castle Howard’s South Lake will be transformed into ‘The Waterside’ where families can take part in fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding. A giant welly is the centrepiece in the show, designed by students at Leeds Beckett University.

Elsewhere the Jessops Photography Experience will give visitors the chance to hone their snapping skills and photography fans can also visit the Quilter Cheviot Capturing the Moment contest for some inspiration.

Animal action

Visitors can get involved in all the outdoors action at the Wildlife Zone, featuring beekeeping, bird care and loads of other interactive activities, the Dog Lovers’ Arena featuring the Dog And Duck show, and the Equine Arena.

Shedloads of shows

More than 20 acts will be appearing on stage at the Graze Inn – designed to showcase talent from Yorkshire. The event also hosts some debates in the Big Top. Guests include mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington and TV weather presenter Keeley Donovan.

Over at the National Trust Theatre you can see discussions from the likes of Ray Mears, JB Gill, Carol Klein, Blue Peter’s Lindsey Russell and Hannah Cockroft.

Food and drink

They have created a pub named after John – The Craven Arms, although bizarrely they’ve chosen a non-local beer – Wainwright Golden – as the main tipple. And they will give away bacon butties cooked by Brian Turner to the first 500 vehicles to enter the gates on the first day.

Loads of local chefs will hit the La Creuset Kitchen Stage including two familiar to York foodies – Tommy Banks and Andrew Pern.

 
The BBC Countryfile Live entrance opens at 7am and the site opens at 8.30am daily. More details here.