An event which blends rural traditions with high-octane entertainment returns to the Norfolk Showground this month – and families only have a few days left to snap up discounted tickets.
The East Anglian Game and Country Fair, which takes place on the weekend of April 23 and 24, is expected to draw thousands of visitors with a diverse line-up of attractions including military motorcyclists, gundog displays, BMX stunts, clay shooting, cookery, ferreting and falconry.
Discounted tickets for the EDP-backed show are available in advance – but only until midnight on Monday.
Event organiser Andy Grand urged people to take advantage of the opportunity, regardless of whether they were already immersed in country life, or eager to try new experiences.
'We want to appeal to families, and it's no good mum and dad coming if the children are bored, so we offer something for everyone,' he said.
'The Royal Signals White Helmets is one of the top-billed new displays. They are a world-famous pyramid stack on those old motorbikes which make that wonderful roaring sound around the arena. They will have a huge following.
'We have got lots going on in the main arena, but there are so many other interesting attractions as well.
'Richard Maxwell the horse whisperer has invited people to bring 'problem horses' which he will never have worked with before. Through his techniques, he can get them from fearing something that their owners could never get them to do, to total acceptance of it within an hour. It's almost like a magic trick.'
Mr Grand said the show's 'hands-on' approach offered visitors the chance to enter their pets in the dog show, learn tips from top chefs in the cookery theatre, or try out new sports like clay shooting, fly fishing or archery under expert tuition.
'You can get top tuition and hit a few clays or fire a few arrows off,' said Mr Grand. 'Who knows, perhaps the next champion could get into their sport here.'
New attractions for 2016 include The Royal Signals White Helmets, a team of 25 serving soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals whose display is a mixture of feats of balance, skill and coordination featuring fire jumps and a 21-rider pyramid stack.
Another new display is the Action Sports Tour, an eight-strong team mixing the skills and aerial styles of trails riding, BMX, MTB dirt jumping, free running, scooter riding, and roller-blading.
Equestrian displays include the UK Horseboarding arena demos – a sport described as 'somewhere between scurry racing and wake boarding'.
Ring displays also include six-time world champion John Bidwell performing his off-the-hip trick shooting, Bernese mountain dogs, Flight of the Falcons, ferret racing, fly fishing, sheep dog and lurcher displays, and gun dog demonstrations
The game fair's country kitchen has a new line up of demonstrations with local chefs, including Chris Coubrough, Rachel Green, Andy Snowling, Justin Kett and Na Hansell.
There are specialised areas for bushcraft, forestry and falconry and opportunities to take a helicopter flight, try the air rifle range, hold a bird of prey or take a ride on the off-road 4x4 course.
Advance discounted admission tickets are available online until midnight on April 18 via the event website or by calling 01263 735 828.
Adults are £13 in advance (£17 on the gate), children aged 5-15 are £5 (£6 on the gate) and a family ticket for two adults and three children is £36 (£46 on the gate.) Under fives are free, and there is no charge for car parking.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here