Did you know?

Interesting Steam Fair Statistics

• At over 600 acres, the showground is one of Europe's largest outdoor event locations.
• With 1,000 trade stands, 2,000 exhibitors and their families, together with our campers on the public campsites (5,000 caravans and tents) it is estimated that the population living on site amounts to 25,000 people at any one time.
• Total number of people expected to see the show is in excess of 200,000.
• To cope with the large crowds the show brings in around 600 portable toilets and has to dispose of around 76,000 gallons of effluent!
• An army of workers distribute and collect the 2,500 litterbins on site and 180/200 tonnes of rubbish is taken away each year.
• Each year there are more than 300 paid staff and volunteers working during the five-day show period.
• Each year we have 360,000 promotional brochures printed, 65,000 car window stickers and 50,000 posters. These are printed 10 months before the show and then distributed over the next few months all around the UK and to overseas destinations.
• Due to planning regulations, actual site preparations do not begin until only 2 weeks before the event commences and we have just 10 days to clear the site afterwards and put it back to a working farm.
• Over 2 miles of water piping is laid and over 3,100,000 litres of water is used during the show each year! 2,100,000 litres are used by the engines alone, along with 1,000,000 litres used for domestic and drinking purposes. 750,000 litres of all the water is brought onto site by tankers with a full time team of 6 workers during the show and for a week before.
• Over 10 miles of electric cable are used with over 100 floodlights erected and 200 socket outlets placed. 30 large generators have to be hired each year and just one generator is powerful enough to supply electricity to a small village. Electricity has to be provided to 6 entertainment pavilions, 4 shower blocks and other marquees and to our administration and emergency services centre. We have 3 full time and one part time electricians on site.
• Each year over 200 tonnes of coal are used.
• Over 560 barrels of beer were drunk at last year’s show.
• 80 tonnes of wood will be cut in this year’s woodsawing section.
• 16 acres of corn is cut before the show starts by an old time binder with 10 large ricks erected in readiness for the threshing demonstrations. The reed from the demonstrations is then sold to local thatchers who use it on thatched cottages all over Dorset and the neighbouring counties.
• 2,700 6ft high heras metal fences are hired to secure the perimeter of the 600 acre show site.
• St John’s Ambulance deal with an average of 500 cases each year ranging from a wasp sting to a broken leg!
• To secure B&B or hotel accommodation locally for the Steam Fair week, you need to book early as by the end of June nothing is left and the nearest available is 20 miles away in Poole, Bournemouth or Salisbury.