"Glorious" summer weather has helped set the stage for a "blockbuster" Royal Norfolk Show, said event organisers.
About 85,000 visitors are expected to descend on the Norfolk Showground today and tomorrow for the the county's traditional two-day spectacular.
Tickets have selling really well this week with the excellent forecast.
Before the gates opened, the venue was a "sea of activity" in yesterday’s sunshine, as the final touches were made to marquees and trade stands, livestock was hosed and washed, and the ground was irrigated to prepare for equestrian competitions.
Early on day one there was low cloud over the showground, but the sun is set to shine through by 9am.
And with "perfect show weather" predicted, organisers are optimistic about the next two days.
Mark Nicholas, managing director of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA), said: "We are forecasting a blockbuster show this year, on a number of fronts.
"We have got excellent weather conditions, and don't people need to get out in the sun after all the misery of the rain and the cold of previous weeks?
"Can you imagine the RAF Falcons [parachute display team], in their red, white and blue, jumping against this glorious blue sky? It is going to be something quite stunning, quite special, this year.
"The show is a great opportunity for people to come together and see Norfolk at its best. Lots of people will be here, we are fully booked for trade stands and the food and drink offering is more extensive than it has ever been, not just in the Adnams Food and Drink Experience, but also with a number of revamped food courts around the showground.
"The shopping experience is going to be the best since pre-Covid, and the entertainment programme is also the most extensive it has been, probably ever, in the history of the Royal Norfolk Show - not only with an action-packed Grand Ring programme, but with a huge contribution made by musicians and performers from right across the county, including the Battle of the Bands, judged by Duncan James of the boyband Blue."
Mr Nicholas also said he will be "thrilled" to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh on Thursday, whose visit "once again adds a royal seal of approval" to the show.
To prepare for the hot weather, free drinking water is being made available to all showgoers, with water bottle refill stations installed across the site.
More water supplies have also been deployed for the farm animals on display, and marquee structures have been adjusted to improve air flows and keep temperatures as low as possible, said Mr Nicholas.
Goody bags containing an EDP and Norwich Evening News - along with a bag of kettle crisps, popcorn, an apple, a show guide and a bottle of water - will be on sale for £2.
The Royal Norfolk Show on June 26 and 27 will feature 700 trade stands, more than 3,000 animals and a Grand Ring programme ranging from Cossack horse stunts to RAF parachutists. For more information and tickets see www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk.
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