The Lambeth Country Show 2019 brought farm animals, music, colourful performances and food stalls to Brockwell Park. I arrived through Herne Hill after several days of rain, planning a look around the farmyard attractions, some art and a bite to eat. The sun came out soon after I reached the park.
Archive visit: this Roberts London film premiered on 20 July 2019. It records the show as it appeared that year, including the entry arrangements, displays and food available during the visit.
From Herne Hill into Brockwell Park
The trip begins outside Herne Hill station, with Brockwell Park just across the road. On previous visits I had come with friends for the music. This time, the uncertain weather suggested a shorter visit, with the option of returning the next day.
That is part of the appeal of the country show: there are several ways to spend an afternoon. You can head for a stage, walk around the animal displays or simply browse the stalls. My route started with the farm attractions and expanded as the weather improved.
The event was free to enter in 2019, with security checks at the entrance. In the film, I mention the restrictions on bringing alcohol and glass into the grounds. These were the arrangements on that visit; they are included here as part of the archive.
Farm animals in the middle of London
The first stops bring the country part of the show into view. Animals and their handlers occupy a grassy show ring, while visitors gather around the edge to watch. Nearby, a bird of prey sits on a handler's gloved hand, and a white goose stands in a straw-lined enclosure.
These scenes give the visit a different pace from a music festival. There is time to stop, look closely and move between the displays. The temporary enclosures and tents sit against the open grass and mature trees of Brockwell Park.
It is this mixture that I describe at the start of the film: farmyard attractions, art and a music festival sharing the same space. The short walk through the animals provides one part of that larger picture before the route opens out towards the stages and stalls.
Classic cars and a changing show
A line of classic cars adds another reason to pause. The film passes polished vehicles parked on the grass, with visitors walking between them. Beyond the display, tents and festival structures spread across the park.
I also reflect on changes since earlier visits. The perimeter fence and more formal entry checks had altered the experience, while the stages, markets and food stalls gave the show plenty of variety. My view at the time was that it had become a bigger and better event, even if some regular visitors might have disagreed.
Early in the visit, the grounds felt quieter than I remembered. I thought the recent rain had put people off, although the sun was now shining. That was an impression from walking around, rather than an attendance count. The later scenes show people enjoying the grass, the performances and the afternoon outdoors.
Music, costumes and space on the grass
As the walk continues, bright costumes bring colour to the paths. Performers move through the grounds, with stalls, tents and people stopping to watch around them. Elsewhere, visitors sit on the grass near the music.
The park gives these different activities room to coexist. One stretch of the film follows the passing crowd; another looks across the lawns towards the festival structures and the surrounding skyline. There is no need to follow a single programme to enjoy the visit.
For me, this first afternoon was a chance to see what was happening before making plans with friends. The music was still part of the day, but so were the animals, the car display and the search for lunch.
Jerk chicken, rice and peas
The smell of barbecue settled the lunch decision. I chose jerk chicken with rice and peas, gravy and salad, then found a place on the grass to eat while watching the music.
The verdict in the film is straightforward: it was pretty good, although I would have preferred a little more spice. That small qualification is part of the experience, alongside the pleasure of eating outdoors after the uncertain start to the day.
The tray of food appears in close view, with salad over the chicken and rice. Around it, the show continues: people cross the grass, music carries across the park and there is still more to explore after lunch.
The eco-village and Discovery area
Later, I head towards the large house in the park. In the narration, I describe its café grounds as an eco-village for the show and point out the flower show and vegetable-sculpture attraction.
The vegetable sculptures appeared particularly popular: I joked that more people were queuing to see them than were watching the main stage. The film records that observation from outside, rather than a tour of the sculptures themselves.
Further along, food stalls and the purple Discovery programme board show more of the event's range. The board lists masterclasses and workshops, adding another strand to an afternoon that had already included animals, cars, costumes and music.
Sunshine before heading home
By the end of the walk, the sunshine had lasted longer than expected. I had enjoyed the visit and hoped to return with friends for more music if the next day's weather held.
The Lambeth Country Show 2019 film preserves a short personal route through a much larger event. It captures the contrasts that made the afternoon memorable: a goose and a bird of prey, classic cars on the lawn, bright costumes, barbecue smoke and lunch beside the music.
Watch the original Roberts London film
The film premiered on 20 July 2019 and runs for approximately nine and a half minutes.
