****THE SIGNAL BRIEF**** ****What’s new:**** Staffordshire Fireworks Extravaganza returns to Staffordshire County Showground on Sunday 1 November 2026, with ticket prices frozen for 2026. ****By the numbers:**** Around 5,000 people are expected to attend. Adult tickets remain £12 and children's tickets £3. ****Why it matters:**** More than £100,000 has been raised for charities, community groups and good causes since the event began. One of Staffordshire’s biggest annual family fireworks events returns to the Staffordshire County Showground on Sunday 1 November 2026, with ticket prices frozen this year and more than £100,000 raised for charities and good causes since the event began. The Staffordshire Fireworks Extravaganza, organised by the Rotary Club of Stafford Castle, has become a popular fixture in the local calendar since it was first held in 2017, attracting around 5,000 people for an evening of fireworks, family entertainment, food and drink. But behind the spectacle is a much bigger purpose. Since 2019, the event has supported a remarkable range of charities, community organisations, schools, projects and individuals, many of them in Stafford and the surrounding area. Beneficiaries have included Katharine House Hospice, Staffordshire Women’s Aid, Midlands Air Ambulance, Samaritans, St John Ambulance, Stafford Street Pastors, Cerebral Palsy Mid Staffordshire, Stafford and District Stroke Club, Parkinson’s UK Stafford Branch, local food banks, schools and numerous community projects. Funds raised have helped organisations providing bereavement support, hospice care, cancer support, dementia services and assistance for vulnerable children and adults, as well as funding practical projects in local schools and communities. ### Ticket Prices Frozen for 2026 Despite the increasing costs involved in staging an event of this size, organisers have made the decision to freeze ticket prices for this year’s event, with adult admission remaining at £12 and children's tickets at £3. Richard Mitcherson, Organiser said: > “Since we started the Fireworks Extravaganza, we’ve raised more than £100,000 for charities, community groups and good causes, many of them right here in Stafford and the surrounding area. > > “This year, despite rising costs, we’ve frozen ticket prices because we want to keep the event as affordable as possible for local families while continuing to raise vital funds for the organisations we support. > > “We’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of people back to the County Showground for another fantastic evening.” ### Fireworks, Funfair and Food The 2026 Fireworks Extravaganza will once again feature a spectacular professional fireworks display, together with a children’s funfair and a selection of food and drink stalls, making it a full evening out for families. The fireworks display will be staged by Pyro 2000, the professional display company behind previous Fireworks Extravaganzas. Safety remains paramount, with the organisers having established a strong safety record over the years. A comprehensive operation will once again be in place, including dedicated parking teams, disabled parking and floodlighting across the parking areas. Carefully managed arrangements will also be in place at the end of the event to help thousands of visitors leave the Showground safely and efficiently. These include opening the road for a short period after the event, allowing pedestrians to use both the tunnel and road crossing and helping to reduce congestion as visitors leave. ### Tickets Must Be Bought in Advance Around 5,000 people are expected to attend and tickets are available online in advance only. There will be no tickets available to purchase at the gate, so families are being encouraged to book ahead. ## Event Details **Date:** Sunday 1 November 2026 **Venue:** Staffordshire County Showground **Gates open:** 4.00pm **Fireworks display:** 7.00pm **Adult tickets:** £12 **Children’s tickets:** £3 **Tickets:** Online in advance only - no ticket sales on the gate **Book:** https://bit.ly/4gwIb8a ### Join The Staffordshire Signal on WhatsApp Never miss a single breaking update, local news story, community event, or deep dive. See everything happening in Staffordshire first, straight to your phone! Get Instant Updates

CATSEYE | Norfolk ShowgroundCATSEYE | Norfolk Showground is coming to Norfolk Showground in Norwich, Norfolk on Saturday 15 May 2027 at 10:00 am.Event DetailsCATSEYE: the ultimate KATSEYE tribute…

1 likes, 0 comments - spark.alistair on October 6, 2026: "The Old Showground is photo series by photographer Nic Salmon that documents life at the former home of Scunthorpe United, between 1981 and 19...

Enter the Samford Circus Competition for a chance to win a Double Pass to Ashton’s The Great Australian Circus at Samford Showground in QLD.

The Other Partizan wargames show hits Newark Showground on Sunday 11 October, 10am to 4pm, with games from 6mm to 54mm, nearly 50 traders and £8 entry.

Five years ago, a visit to the Nairobi International Trade Fair would have offered a familiar agricultural scene, with fruits, seedlings, crops, livestock and other farm products dominating much of the exhibition space. But the scene at Jamhuri Park Showground has changed. This year, visitors are encountering an increasingly technology-driven fair, with agricultural machinery, drones, artificial intelligence (AI), irrigation equipment and other innovations taking a more prominent place alongside the traditional displays of crops and livestock. The shift reflects a broader transformation in Kenyan agriculture, as farmers, researchers, businesses and government increasingly turn to technology to improve productivity and respond to challenges such as changing weather, pests, diseases and water scarcity. “This year about 400 exhibitors from Kenya and abroad are showcasing products and technologies, with climate-smart agriculture, innovation and digital farming among the key themes,” says Batram Muthoka, Agricultural Society of Kenya Chief Executive Officer. According to him, the increasing presence of technology at the fair intends to expose farmers to options they may not ordinarily encounter, allowing them to see the equipment in operation and understand how they could be applied to their own farms. The technologies on display are also changing the nature of farm work, with...

****THE SIGNAL BRIEF**** ****What’s new:**** The Stafford Model Railway Show took place at Bingley Hall over the weekend of 26 and 27 September 2026. ****The big picture:**** Described by its organisers as the UK’s largest independent model railway exhibition, the show draws on almost 60 years of experience. ****Worth knowing:**** Alongside the indoor exhibition, the event featured vintage bus connections from Stafford station and larger scale train rides in the showground. From miniature railway layouts inside Bingley Hall to train rides in the grounds, the Stafford Model Railway Show brought different sides of the railway hobby together for its September weekend. The exhibition gathered model train layouts and railway related traders under one roof at Staffordshire County Showground. Vintage buses shuttled visitors from Stafford station, making the journey to the show part of its transport appeal. At the showground, larger scale train rides extended the railway experience beyond the exhibition hall. Stafford Model Railway Show 2026 - Photo credit Ian Knight / Z70 Photography ### Almost 60 years of exhibition experience The Stafford show has almost six decades of experience behind it and is now described by its organisers as the largest independent model railway exhibition in the country. For the 2026 event, it continued to use the main Bingley Hall, which organisers highlighted as offering more space and better facilities. The exhibition combined layouts with traders catering for the hobby, alongside a broad programme of clubs and societies booked to attend. Harry Potter themed model railway - Photo credit Ian Knight / Z70 Photography ### Railway interests from across Staffordshire and beyond The booked line up included Amerton Railway, the North Staffordshire Railway Company, Haywoods Permanent Way, and Stafford and District Model Engineering Society. Specialist organisations on the list included the 009 Society, 2mm Road Show, 3mm Society, 7mm Narrow Gauge Association, Gauge O Guild, N Gauge Society Ltd. and Scalefour. Mickleover Model Railway Club, Warley Model Railway Club and The Class 502 Preservation Trust were also among those booked, alongside Midlands Air Ambulance. With model railways indoors, larger scale rides outside and vintage transport linking the venue with Stafford station, the weekend brought together railway interests spanning far more than the layouts themselves. Stafford Model Railway Show 2026 - Photo credit Ian Knight / Z70 Photography ### Join The Staffordshire Signal on WhatsApp Never miss a single breaking update, local news story, community event, or deep dive. See everything happening in Staffordshire first, straight to your phone! Get Instant Updates

Its prominent stand was among the first encountered by visitors entering the showground, marking John Deere’s first appearance as an APF exhibitor since 2018.

Tickets go on sale this morning for four days at Ashley Hall Showground, with Matt Goss and Marc Almond topping the other main nights and two further Friday…

Adelaide’s heavy metal, punk, and alternative festival Froth & Fury has expanded with eleven more acts, including its latest headliner. Hardcore pioneers Knocked Loose, one of the biggest names in modern heavy music, will headline the festival alongside already announced heavy hitters Clutch and Alpha Wolf. The second wave of international and Australian acts heading to Adelaide Showground on Saturday, 30 January, doesn’t stop there. Today’s announcement also includes Florida death metal icons Deicide, hardcore institution Terror, Bay Area thrash heroes Death Angel, Canadian outfit Cancer Bats, and UK act Heriot. Aussies added to the bill include Adelaide hardcore band Stressed, along with other local favourites Guantanamo Bay City Rollers and Oath of Damnation, plus Newcastle’s Feel The Pain and Sydney punks Arse. With another eleven acts added to next year’s bill, Froth & Fury went from already stacked to unmissable. The newly announced acts join bands including Clutch, Alpha Wolf, Paleface Swiss, Counterparts, Carpenter Brut, Igorrr, Propagandhi, 28 Days, and many others. Unfortunately, Australian rockers Wayside have pulled out of the festival. Check out the line-up with its second wave of artists below. Tickets are now available – secure yours here. Discussing the second artist announcement, Froth & Fury co-organiser Jason North said, “Having Knocked Loose headline is obviously massive for us. They’re one of the biggest and most exciting heavy bands in the world right now, so to have them sitting at the top of a Froth & Fury line-up is pretty special for us.” North continued, “What I really love though is how deep this announcement goes. You’ve got Deicide, Terror, Death Angel doing a special ACT III set, Cancer Bats and Heriot, all bringing something completely different, and then underneath that we’ve got some seriously good Australian bands coming through as well. “That mix is really what Froth & Fury has always been about for us. Big international names, established Australian bands and artists coming straight out of the underground, all on the same festival.” FROTH & FURY FEST 2027 – LINE-UP   KNOCKED LOOSE CLUTCH, ALPHA WOLF PALEFACE SWISS. CARPENTER BRUT, IGORRR, DEICIDE PROPAGANDHI, TERROR, COUNTERPARTS, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, DEATH TO ALL, DEATH ANGEL (ACT III SET), 28 DAYS, DARK ANGEL, CANCER BATS, THE BERZERKER, TRUTH CORRODED, FOX LAKE, HERIOT, SIERRA VEINS, RATSALAD, STRESSED, ARSE, FEEL THE PAIN, GUANTANAMO BAY CITY ROLLERS, OATH OF DAMNATION & RACCOON CITY Embedded Content

🇺🇸🎃 THE AMERICAN DRIVE-IN HAS CROSSED THE POND… AND IT’S BRINGING HORROR WITH IT! 🇬🇧🚗💀 Something pretty great is happening across the Atlantic this Halloween. The Norfolk Showground in Norwich, Engl...