Umbrellas out as Southport Flower Show begins in wet weather
The 2026 Southport Flower Show opened at Victoria Park on Thursday 20 August in heavy rain and a chilly breeze, with visitors reaching for their umbrellas.
The Southport Town Crier read a proclamation as the gates opened for the four-day event, which continues until Sunday 23 August.
Indoor attractions, including cookery demonstrations and gardening sessions, proved popular as visitors looked for shelter from the weather. The official programme includes appearances from BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost, as well as celebrity chefs and other gardening guests.
The show features display gardens, floral exhibits, amateur growing competitions, shopping and family entertainment. It is open from 10am to 6pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday.
Conditions are expected to improve after the wet opening day. The Met Office forecast for Southport shows sunny intervals on Friday 21 August, more settled sunny intervals on Saturday 22 August and a mainly sunny outlook for Sunday 23 August, although some showers remain possible on Friday.
