9 things to do at The Game Fair 2021

After last year’s event was cancelled, this year’s Game Fair promises to be a particularly special one - the great festival of the countryside is packed with things to see, do and eat - here’s a few things we think you should check out if you’re there

Visit Gunmakers’ Row

A firm favourite with the public year after year, Gunmakers Row is packed with leading brands from around the world, eager to show off their wares. Whether you’re in the market for a new gun or just want to drool over guns you could only afford if you won the lottery, it's a must-visit part of the fair. Seeing all those guns is likely to give you an itchy trigger finger, so make sure you also have a go on the EJ Churchill gunline - you could even enter the Game Fair Challenge, a 40 bird English Sporting layout with some fantastic prizes up for grabs. You can also drop into the Gunmaker’s theatre to hear discussions of the issues facing the shooting community, and enjoy a cool pint or two at the infamous Gunmakers’ Pub .

Cheer on our horse in The Shetland Pony Grand National

Shetland ponies are the court jesters of the horse world - they have all the vim and vigour of a thoroughbred racehorse compressed into a frame about a quarter of the size. Keep an eye out for one horse in particular, owned by GunsOnPegs Podcast listener Tom, the excellently named “What’s That You’re Drinking”, sponsored by GunsOnPegs.

Enjoy the debates at The Carter Jonas Theatre

Hosted by Charlie Jacoby of Fieldsports Channel, the theatre will be the setting for debate and conversation on a wide range of topics. Guests include sporting artist Rodger McPhail, former England cricket captain and peer of the realm Lord “Beefy” Botham, TV presenters Phil Spencer and Adam Henson, plus representatives of BASC, Countryside Alliance and GWCT.

Catch a classic film at The Open Air Cinema

The organisers of The Game Fair have managed to unearth a film version of a 1976 BBC and British Film Institute dramatized film of John Buchan’s cult book John Macnab, which gives its name to the ultimate sporting challenge. The story sees three high-flying men – a barrister, a cabinet minister and a banker – suffering from boredom and concocting a plan to cure it. They inform three Scottish estates that they will poach from each two stags and a salmon in a given time. They sign collectively as ‘John McNab’ and await the responses – an evocative look at the hunting, shooting and fishing lifestyle in Highland Scotland.

Marvel at the Falconry Village

Falconry is one of the oldest of all field sports; its inclusion by UNESCO as being of ‘intangible cultural heritage’ is one falconers are exceptionally proud of, and rightly so. For anyone with a love of nature and the countryside these birds are captivating in their elegance and undeniable ferocity. The Falconry Village will include its own, dedicated full-size falconry arena, where a spectacular variety of birds will be flown throughout the day.

Wet a line at the Fishing Village

At GunsOnPegs we’re all keen anglers - though some are more skilled than others - so we’ll be sure to drop in on the fishing village over the course of the event. There’s a great array of things to see and do, from have-a-go coarse fishing in the lake to casting demos and debates in the fishing theatre (AKA the Landing Stage.)

Enjoy a bite at the Nice and Wild Restaurant

While you’re in that neck of the woods, you might like to drop in on friend of GunsOnPegs and top game chef Tim Maddams in his restaurant for a bite to eat. He’ll be serving up a wide array of delicious food, from breakfast right through til 6pm, with proceeds going to one of our favourite charities, The Country Food Trust.

Come and see us at The GunsOnPegs stand

The GunsOnPegs team will be present on our stand near the Enclosure. We’ve got a bar, so we hope to see plenty of you join us for a drink and a catch up. You might even be able to wrangle yourself an invitation to our party, which takes place on Saturday night.

Drop in on the gundog events

Watching a well-drilled gundog is one of the oft-overlooked joys of the shooting world. The Game Fair has a huge variety of gundog events, from working test challenges and Home Internations, as well as a competition for amateur gundog handlers.

Book your tickets to the Game Fair