Southport Flower Show returns this week for four days of horticultural highlights, celebrity guests, television chefs, and even a real-life Gladiator.
The finishing touches are being made to show gardens, exhibits, and trade areas at the town’s 34-acre Victoria Park. Competition judging takes place later this week.
Last year the event reached its milestone 100th anniversary, attracting 50,000 visitors across the four-day event.
Southport Flower Show 2025 runs for four days from Thursday 14 August to Sunday 17 August – and is the UK’s largest independent flower show.
Gates open to the public at 10am on Thursday. (14 August). Show times are 10am to 6pm Thursday to Saturday, and 10am to 5pm on Sunday.
A packed programme spanning the four days features celebrity guest Q&A sessions in the Garden Theatre and live demonstrations in the Cookery Theatre; live music performances on the Piazza Stage; and an outdoor show arena hosting dog display teams, birds of prey, and horse shows.
Horticultural highlights include spectacular award-winning show gardens, grand floral marquee, amateur grower and plant society exhibitors, floral art and raised bed displays, bees and honey marquee, and displays from local schools and charities.
This year sees more family attractions than ever before. Alpacas are visiting for the first time, and a new children’s trail highlights include conservation, scarecrow festival, children’s yoga, doodle wall, and tennis skills.
Celebrity guests include Emmerdale actor turned farmer Kelvin Fletcher and wife Liz from TV series Fletchers’ Family Farm; punk icon Toyah Willcox; wildlife cameraman and Strictly winner Hamza Yassin; Zack George – Steel from Gladiators; Christian Lewis from The Wilderness Family; and children’s TV favourite Justin Fletcher.
Horticultural guests are ITV’s Love Your Garden’s David Domoney; Nick Bailey from BBC Gardeners’ World; Carole Baxter and George Anderson from BBC’s Beechgrove Garden; and gardening experts, presenters and writers Martin and Jill Fish.
Cookery guests include This Morning chef Phil Vickery; Cherish Finden from Bake Off: The Professionals; television personality and chef Rosemary Shrager; and Great British Bake Off Winner Nancy Birtwhistle.
Several guests will also meet visitors at book signing sessions hosted by Waterstones Pop-Up Book Festival – also a new addition to the show for 2025.
Local venues hosting live cookery demonstrations in the cookery theatre also include Southport’s 600 Degrees, Tik Taco, Volare, Coast, and Cake Corner; as well as Nord and Manifest from Liverpool.
This year’s headline sponsor is Halliwell Jones Kia Southport. The Cookery Theatre is sponsored by Lancashire Tea and Nationwide Produce.
Southport Flower Show is a registered charity. Any profit generated is reinvested into Victoria Park to pay for its maintenance all year round.
Visitors travelling to the show by train can make a saving – discounted tickets are available at any Merseyrail ticket office.
Southport Flower Show tickets can still be purchased in advance. Tickets are flexible and can be used on any one of the four days. Children under 16 go free when accompanied by a paying adult.
All VIP packages, afternoon tea tickets, and ladies’ day places are now sold out.
Victoria Park has wide walkways and a level surface, providing excellent access to all parts of the show. A large part of the show is undercover, designed to be enjoyed whatever the weather.
Seating is located across the showground, with food and drink available. Well behaved dogs on leads are allowed.
Alan Adams is General Manager of Southport Flower Show. He commented:
“Victoria Park is a real hive of activity with show gardens reaching the end stages of build, garden and cookery theatres being kitted out, marquees and exhibits dressed, and traders arriving to set up their stalls. Every single individual involved plays a vital role in the ongoing success and appeal of Southport Flower Show. It never ceases to surprise me each year just how committed and focused everyone is to get things exactly right. It’s incredibly inspiring.
“As well as the showstopping and spectacular horticultural highlights, there is so much more to Southport Flower Show than flowers alone. The Victoria Park showground is vast, and this year we’ve further strengthened our family offer. A brilliant new children’s trail is packed with fun activities and conservation, and we’re sure the alpacas will prove extremely popular.
“Our special guest line-up spans all four days with plenty of opportunities to hear from the celebrities and watch the chefs live in action at the two dedicated theatres. Join us for a day bursting with colour, live entertainment, food, shopping – and not forgetting the beautiful blooms which await you.”
The celebrity guest programme includes:
Thursday 14 August: David Domoney, Kelvin and Liz Fletcher, Christian Lewis, Rosemary Shrager, Martin and Jill Fish.
Friday 15 August: Toyah Willcox, David Domoney, Carole Baxter and George Anderson, Gladiator Steel Zack George, Phil Vickery, and Martin and Jill Fish.
Saturday 16 August: Carole Baxter and George Anderson, Hamza Yassin, Nick Bailey, Cherish Finden, Nancy Birtwhistle, and Martin and Jill Fish.
Sunday 17 August: Justin Fletcher, and Martin and Jill Fish.
Full details can be found at www.southportflowershow.co.uk
