Est. 1853 · East Yorkshire

From 10-person meetings to 25,000-person events

Two conference pavilions. 78 acres of proven event infrastructure. If you can park 25,000 people for a one-day show, you can handle your event.

Crowded indoor event with people mingling around tables in a brightly lit hall

Capacity: 400

Rix Pavilion

Recently refurbished. Modern AV. Professional conferencing.


Ideal for: Conferences, meetings, training days, awards dinners, exhibitions

Elegant banquet hall with gold drapes, string lights, black table settings, and large “40” balloons

Members Pavilion

WWII-era officer's mess. Character. Summer only.


Ideal for: Intimate weddings, anniversaries, parties, smaller meetings

Crowd seated outdoors at a public event, with people holding signs and trees in the background

Capacity: Thousands

170 Years of Growing Together

78 acres. Camping infrastructure. Multiple fields.


Ideal for: Cycling events, motorsport, caravan rallies, festivals, large public events

Professional Conferencing for up to 400

Rix Pavilion

What's included:

  • Modern AV system (projector, screens, sound)
  • Flexible layout options (theatre, cabaret, boardroom, exhibition)
  • Kitchen facilities
  • WiFi throughout
  • Parking for attendees (we park 25,000 for the show - your conference will fit)
  • Accessible facilities


Capacity by layout:

  • Banquette 300 over 27 tables
  • Cabaret 189 over 27 tables
  • Remove Boardroom
  • Exhibition 440m2


What you'll need to arrange:

  • We can roll out bespoke packages depending on your needs.


Availability:
Year-round. Currently around 40-50% utilised - good midweek availability.

Crowded banquet hall with guests seated at tables facing a lit stage or presentation screen
Audience seated in a tented hall, watching three speakers on a blue-carpeted stage.
Empty banquet hall with round tables, blue chairs, and a projection screen at the front
Guests dining at round tables in a decorated hall with string lights and hanging greenery
Wedding reception table with wine, glasses, flowers, and a “Congratulations” sign, guests blurred in the background
“Mr & Mrs” sign on a decorated wedding reception table with flowers, greenery, bottles, and a white tablecloth

Character Venue for up to 150

Members Pavilion

What's included:

  • Characterful space with period features
  • Kitchen facilities
  • Tables and chairs
  • Parking
  • Exclusive use for your event
  • Flexibility to bring your own suppliers
  • Capacity: Approximately 150 seated


What you'll need to arrange:

  • Catering (bring your own or use approved caterers)
  • Any AV equipment required
  • Decorations, marquees if extending space outdoors
  • Event setup


Ideal for:

  • Summer weddings (marquee option available on grounds)
  • Family celebrations (18ths, anniversaries, reunions)
  • Intimate parties where you want to put your own stamp on it
  • Meetings where character matters more than corporate polish


Availability:
May-September (summer season).

78 Acres for Large-Scale Events

Full Site Rental

What we provide:

  • 78 acres across multiple show fields
  • Toilet and shower block facilities (built for camping/caravanning)
  • Parking capacity for thousands (we park 25,000 for the show)
  • Water and power access points
  • Site that can accommodate camping, glamping, caravans, motorhomes
  • Multiple fields allowing simultaneous different activities
  • Vehicle access for HGVs, trade stands, equipment


What you deliver:

  • Your event (we're the venue, you're the expert)
  • Event staffing, ticketing, marketing
  • Additional facilities beyond our infrastructure
  • Event safety, licensing, insurance


Seasonal considerations:

  • Summer (May-September): Prime season. Ground conditions excellent.
  • Autumn/Winter: Some areas get waterlogged. We'll be honest about what's viable. Frank, our Senior Groundsman, knows this site better than anyone - if he says it won't work, it won't work.


Previous events:

  • Yorkshire Cycling Federation (youth riding showcase, trade stands, camping)
  • Truck Fest (annual large-scale event)
  • Car Craze (motorsport enthusiasts)
  • Annual firework extravaganza
  • Caravan and motor rallies (including winter periods on main show field)


Ideal for:

  • Cycling events
  • Motorsport events
  • Large public festivals
  • Caravan/camping rallies
  • Agricultural shows or demonstrations
  • Multi-day outdoor events with camping


Availability:
Predominantly summer season. Some winter availability depending on ground conditions and event requirements.


Pricing:
Varies by event scale, duration, facilities required.

Horse show on a grassy field, with riders, handlers, and several horses lined up in competition.
Colorful flower arrangements on a display table under a white tent, with red, yellow, purple, pink, and white blooms
Horse-drawn carriage team on a grassy field at an outdoor event, driver standing on the carriage
Horse-drawn carriage in a grassy field with two riders, wooden cart, and crowd in the background
Two dogs sitting on grass beside a person at an outdoor event

Our Heritage

Successfully Hosting Events Since 1853

One hundred and seventy-two years of events on this site. One of the UK's biggest one-day agricultural shows drawing 25,000 visitors annually. Professional event organisers choosing us repeatedly for cycling, motorsport, festivals, rallies.


That's not marketing. That's track record.


The infrastructure works because it's proven at scale. The team knows what they're doing because they've done it before. The volunteer network that delivers the show - hundreds of stewards, subcommittees working in the shadows — that's institutional knowledge you can't buy.


You're not hiring a field with a car park. You're working with an organisation that's successfully hosted 25,000 people on a single day in the middle of the East Riding, well away from accessible motorways, for longer than most venues have existed.

Crowded outdoor fair with people walking past colorful flags and tents on a sunny day
Blank white rectangle on a black background.

I attended the annual Driffield Show yesterday. It was a great event on, thankfully, a dry, hot day. Very well organised in every aspect. It was a small queue to park but straight out in the afternoon as there were plenty of marshals. All staff were helpful, so it made it a pleasant day out with lots to see. Very unusually, there were plenty of clean toilets. I will be back next year.

Ann James

White rounded rectangle on a black background, with a tiny gray dot near the center-left.

The showground always has some great happening whether it's a game and country fair, Steam show or land rover show always worth popping to one of their events.

Billy Wilding

Black banner with white text centered on a plain background.

Great large one day show. Plenty to see and do. Looking forward to 2026. We had a great time and met up with old friends on a wonderful sunny day.

Simon Ferretworld

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What's your booking lead time?

    Depends on the venue and season. Ricks Pavilion has good midweek availability - you might book a few weeks out. Full site rental for summer typically needs longer notice. Members Pavilion summer weekends book up. Contact us and we'll tell you what's available.

  • Do you provide catering?

    Yes, full catering packages available.

  • Can we bring our own suppliers (caterers, decorators, marquees)?

    For Members Pavilion and full site rentals, yes - flexibility to bring your own suppliers is part of the appeal. For Rix Pavilion, contact us to discuss specific requirements.

  • Is the site accessible year-round?

    Ricks Pavilion: yes, year-round. Members Pavilion: Year-round. Full site: predominantly summer season. Some areas get waterlogged in winter - we'll assess your specific event and be honest about viability.

  • What's included in venue hire?

    Varies by venue. Rix: room, AV, parking, WiFi. Members: space, tables/chairs, parking, exclusive use. Full site: land, infrastructure (toilets/showers), parking, vehicle access. Each venue section above lists what's included and what you'll need to arrange.

  • Do you have a licence for alcohol/music?

    Yes, fully licensed.

  • Can you accommodate multiple events simultaneously?

    Yes. Multiple show fields mean we can host different events in different areas. The Driffield Show itself runs multiple simultaneous activities across the 78 acres.

  • What makes you different from other East Riding venues?

    Scale and proven infrastructure. Where else can you hire 78 acres with camping facilities, toilet blocks, and parking for thousands? Or a recently refurbished 400-capacity conference pavilion with good midweek availability? Or a WWII-era characterful venue for events? And behind it all: hundreds of years of successfully delivering events, including one of the UK's biggest one-day agricultural shows.

Ready to book?

Three venues. One proven showground. 172 years of getting it right.