HUNDREDS of people flocked to Vivary Park today (Friday, August 5) to enjoy the opening of the 190th Taunton Flower Show.

This year, the event came back to its full capacity after two years due to Covid and the wide range of stalls featuring art and crafts, competitions, refreshments, live music, as well as activities for children, and refreshments immediately proved to be popular.

The show will also run tomorrow Saturday, August 6.

There was a wide range of horticultural, gardening, craft, and local food traders exhibiting at the show split into different categories.

The Designer Gardens stalls proved to be very popular among visitors, as much as the wide range of competition classes.

Competition stalls looked very busy. Classes had sections for fruit, vegetables, flowers, home crafts, floral art floristry, winemaking, and photography for adults, plus an array of creative sections for those aged under 17.

But the two-day show, however, was not just about gardening and horticultural crafts.

There was also entertainment for children in a designated area, as well as other family activities that were available across the different stages around the park.

For example, the Pre65 “still alive” display team, a completely new addition to the show, proved to be very popular.

Riders were dressed in 1940s clothing and gave an informative and action-packed motorcycle show.

The team brought six classic bikes, a 1942 500cc Triumph, 1948 Ariel 500, Triumph Tiger Cub, and visitors were happy to have a closer look when they were not used in the show.

The event also included stunt shows.

Big crowds also gathered around other attractions such as the falconry with medieval horsemanship show with Jonathan Marshall or the dog training show with Meirion Owen.

Popular trumpet player Luis Martelo, who is a familiar face in Taunton, also attended the opening day of the event.

Providing all these activities, and many more, Taunton Flower Show really brought the community together from the very start of the event, offering a wide range of activities to every single participant.