Trustees and members of the committee of Malton Show said they had made the decision to cancel the 2026 event after a challenging show last year.
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A spokesperson for the Malton Show committee said: “It is with deep regret that this year’s show will not go ahead.
“After a very challenging show in 2025, the committee and trustees have made the difficult decision not to hold a show in 2026. The situation will be reviewed again in December 2026.
“This decision has not been taken lightly. It has become very apparent following a full evaluation of the 2025 Show that the delivery of voluntarily run agricultural shows, such as the Malton Show, have become ever more challenging. Not only is it extremely difficult to generate revenue from large one day events which critically rely on public attendance, but the legislation and compliance matters that are also essential to run a show, have become even more of a burden.
“Every year, Malton Show relies entirely on the goodwill and commitment of many volunteers and as the years pass and volunteers retire, we simply do not have the voluntary team to safely run a show in 2026.
“As a registered charity, Malton Show relies heavily on the generous donations from sponsors which do provide an invaluable source of revenue for the show, and we genuinely would like to thank all our sponsors for their continued support over the years.”
The Malton Agricultural Society was formed in 1833 and the first recorded summer show or exhibition was held in the early 1870s.
Initially held in Orchard Fields in Malton, it later moved to the town’s showground in Showfield Lane. In 1998, because of the lack of space at the site, the show moved to Scampston Park.
The show has been held every year apart from the duration of the two world wars and during the covid pandemic.
The spokesperson said the key task was to find a new band of volunteers to assist with the running of the event to bring it back in 2027.
“There are multiple positions that we need to fill in order to streamline and professionalise the ongoing works in a manageable fashion. The roles to fill include: General Secretary; Trade Stand Secretary; Main Ring & Entertainment Secretary; Sponsorship Secretary; Membership Secretary; Site Logistics Secretary; Horticulture & Craft Secretary and Trophy & Cup Secretary.
“On top of this, we also need 10 hands-on volunteers to help with setting up the showground prior to the main event, and duties include erecting fencing, car parking, helping trade stands getting to their pitches and such like. ”
The spokesperson added that the Committee and Trustees plan to use the time now during 2026 to conduct a very detailed review of how the show can be simplified and how costs can be managed, without losing sight of the core purpose of what Malton Show aims to deliver.
“This is not an easy task, but there is determination to ensure that we bounce back in 2027 with a refreshed look, ready for the future.
“In the immediate term, the hunt for volunteers continues. Any people interested in joining us in shaping the future of Malton Show are invited to contact the Show Office. Please have a think if you can spare some time to give something back to your local, agricultural community – we really would be very pleased to hear from you.”
Anyone interested should email office@maltonshow.org