The Marden Fruit Show Society, is gearing up for its 85th Anniversary, National Fruit Show on 24th and 25th October 2018 at the Kent Event Centre in Detling.
Set up after the demise of the 41 year old Marden, Staplehurst and Collier Street Agriculture Association, Lord Cornwallis, its first President, is quoted as saying he was sure the new Society would be of great benefit to fruit growers in the district. He had hoped it would last as long as the old one and maybe even longer, with 74 shows under its belt, 10 being cancelled due to the war and one due to frost, the Society has certainly matched and exceeded its first President’s aspirations.
The Show has gone from strength to strength, symbolised by its move from Marden to the County Showground during the eighties and is now one of the most respected and well-attended fruit commercial trade shows in the country. At the heart of this successful show is the competition fruit display 70m of triple stacked trays of the best of British top fruit, picked and packed by growers whose long-standing commitment to the show has been at the forefront of its success. The number of show classes has doubled since the show’s humble beginnings and now include soft fruit, nuts, juice and a new cider competition as well as the traditional apple and pear.
