Game Fair form guide

The Field's essential insight into what to do and what not to miss at the show of the season, this year taking place at Blenheim Palace

- Ed Wills

FOR ITS 66th anniversary year, The Game Fair returns to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire for the first time in a decade. Close to 130,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, which runs from Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 28 July, and it promises to be a spectacular celebration of fieldsports and country life. The 300-year-old palace, on the edge of Woodstock and home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough, is surrounded by 12,000 acres of the finest countryside. It is also famous as the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

Since The Game Fair's inception in 1958, The Field has been present at every show, and 2024 is no different. We are delighted to be returning to Blenheim and look forward to meeting our readers, new subscribers and sporting friends, as well as making the most of all The Game Fair has to offer. Here's our inimitable guide to what not to miss this year.

Gunmakers' Row

An unrivalled showcase of top sporting brands - from Holland & Holland, Boss & Co and Longthorne to Beretta, Rizzini and EJ Churchill - will be introducing their latest shotguns, rifles, airguns and accessories alongside old favourites. Coats, trousers, gumboots and all manner of shooting paraphernalia will line each side of the Row, which is one of The Game Fair's most popular areas. Be sure to visit the Gunmakers' Theatre to learn about the skills and stories behind guns, and get expert advice on buying a gun at auction, firearm security, customising English guns, and sporting optics.

The Field