Welcoming over 30,000 visitors annually from across Scotland, England, and Wales, the SGF has become a crucial platform for conservationists, landowners, environmentalists, educators, and families alike. Its impact extends beyond tourism, supporting 20 local contractors with jobs in the build and activation phases.

At the core of the SGF is the championing of local Scottish produce, with 88 exhibitors confirmed to showcase the finest food and drink options grown, raised, or crafted in Scotland. Visitors can indulge in a diverse range of culinary delights, from Scottish-sourced ingredients in catering options to take-home treats.

Around £30m will be spent by visitors at the fair, buying a diverse and eclectic mix of goods, from purchases of vehicles to sporting equipment and culinary delights. The average visitor spend in 2023 was £400, which is a rise from £350 in 2022. The GWCT, which partners with the SGF, sees a six-figure sum generated from the fair to help fund research and develop game and wildlife management techniques to improve the biodiversity of the countryside.

Robin Shedden, managing director of Cluny Country, is marking his 35th year of exhibiting at SGF and has seen significant business growth through the event’s platform.

He said: “The SGF at Scone Palace has been a firm fixture in our business calendar for the last three decades.

“It has been a real pleasure to watch it expand and evolve into the fantastic event that it is today and I’m very pleased that Cluny Country has been involved from the beginning.

“The show welcomes an excellent crowd and I’d like to extend a big thank you to all those who make the show what it is.”

Henderson Gray Marquee Hire has been supporting the SGF’s infrastructure for 35 years, and through this stable income stream and impactful case study, the business has grown significantly.

James Provost, manager at Henderson Gray Marquee Hire, explained: “Henderson Gray, which spun out of a sailmaking business, has been supplying Marquees for over 100 years, and now work with 15 employees from two depots delivering high quality frame marquees across Scotland.

“We went from a small marquee hire company supplying traditional pole marquees to county fairs to the latest clearspan aluminium frame structures with sub-steel floors that allows us to deliver solutions to events requiring temporary accommodation throughout Scotland.

“Our expansion and growth are testament to the relationship we’ve had with SGF, supporting the event for three and a half decades, meeting new clients and securing opportunities year on year.”

David Gibson, country manager for Scotland at Stable Events who organise SGF, added: “The SGF is a social event, a great excuse to get together as a family, meet up with friends and try something new.

“It’s a great chance to indulge in retail therapy and enjoy a collection of likeminded brands in one place. We find visitors make a full weekend of the event, checking into nearby hotels in Perth, Meikleour, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy and Crieff.”