The Crafts Marquee has earned recognition at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show, celebrating the efforts of exhibitors, organisers and specialist guilds who brought craftsmanship and creativity to Tweedie. Their achievement also provides an opportunity to revisit an extraordinary chapter in the Royal Show's 175-year history.
The Crafts Marquee was among the trophy winners at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show, receiving the Royal Agricultural Society Trophy for Special Endeavour in recognition of the collective effort behind this year's exhibition.
Wool Haven brought a splash of colour to the 2026 Royal Show Crafts Marquee with its Yarn Bombing project, transforming a ride-on mower into a vibrant crocheted creation, complete with Bernardus the Farmer, a giant teddy bear. After the Show, the crocheted squares were to be repurposed into blankets for people in need.
Organised by Andrea Prigge, the Crafts Marquee brought together individual makers, artists, small businesses and specialist craft organisations, creating a welcoming showcase of handmade products, creative skills and craftsmanship at the Show's new home at Tweedie, near Howick.
Visitors could explore displays, meet local makers and enjoy a programme of demonstrations featuring cake decorating, painting, mosaics, spinning, crochet and other creative disciplines. Children's craft activities encouraged younger visitors to get involved, while the neighbouring woodworking exhibition offered further opportunities to appreciate skilled craftspeople at work.
The award recognises the enthusiasm, dedication and collaboration involved in bringing the exhibition together.
It is a welcome achievement in a particularly significant year for the Royal Agricultural Society of Natal, which celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2026.
A remarkable tradition OF SKILL AND VOLUNTEERISM
Crafts have a long and distinguished place in the history of the Royal Show.
At the 1993 Royal Show, the Crafts and Home Industries Section attracted an astonishing 6,505 competitive entries, representing more than half of all entries across the Show's competitive sections.
It was the culmination of generations of dedication by exhibitors, judges, stewards, Women's Institutes and volunteers who had helped establish Crafts and Home Industries as one of the Royal Show's most extensive and enduring attractions.
The tradition stretched back to the earliest agricultural exhibitions in Pietermaritzburg, where home-produced goods were displayed alongside agricultural produce.
During the early twentieth century, women began to organise a more formal exhibition programme within the Royal Agricultural Society of Natal.
Women were admitted as members of the Society in 1909, and their growing involvement soon became an important force in the development of the Show.
By 1912, the Women's Section had attracted 398 competitive entries. The following year, that number had almost doubled.
Its members were already doing considerably more than organising exhibitions. They coordinated competitions, raised funds, provided refreshments and undertook many of the practical responsibilities that contributed to the Show's success.
One of their most remarkable achievements came during the 1920s, when they raised £1,320 to construct their own exhibition hall.
The building was ready for the 1925 Royal Show and had been fully paid for before the end of that year.
It was an extraordinary demonstration of determination, enterprise and voluntary effort.
The 1973 Crafts and Home Industries Committee.
More than an exhibition
Over the following decades, Crafts and Home Industries developed into an extensive competitive programme encompassing baking, preserves, embroidery, knitting, sewing, painting, photography, woodwork and many other disciplines.
Established competition classes, experienced judges, championships and trophies encouraged participants to develop their skills and take pride in the quality of their work.
Importantly, every entry was exhibited, not only those that won prizes.
For schoolchildren, first-time competitors and experienced craftspeople alike, there was something special about seeing their work displayed at the Royal Show.
The competitions encouraged learning, improvement and excellence. They also brought together people who shared an interest in creating things, preserving traditional skills and passing their knowledge to others.
The Women's Institutes were central to this tradition, working alongside schools, specialist guilds, individual competitors and the many volunteers whose contributions sustained the section.
Their involvement extended well beyond the competitive displays. Fundraising, sponsorship, hospitality and voluntary service all formed part of a substantial contribution to the wider Show.
This combination of craftsmanship, friendly competition, community participation and service helped give Crafts and Home Industries its distinctive place in the life of the Royal Show.
A new chapter at Tweedie
As the Royal Show evolved, so too did its Crafts exhibition.
Competitive classes and championships remained active as late as 2019, but the historic Crafts and Home Industries Section eventually came to an end. The 2024 Royal Agricultural Exhibition did not include a Crafts section.
The return of crafts to the Royal Show in 2026 therefore marked a fresh beginning.
The new Crafts Marquee has a different format, bringing together individual makers, artists, specialist guilds and craft businesses in an exhibition centred on displays, demonstrations and handmade products.
Among the participating organisations were the Federation of Women's Institutes, the South African Cake Decorators' Guild, Independent Midlands Artists, Midlands Quilters Guild, Amber Camera Club and Golden Crafters.
They were joined by exhibitors including Endeavour Alpacas, the National Wool Growers Association of South Africa, Wool Haven, Yarn Stash and Karen's Hub – Mosaics.
The Midlands Woodworkers' Guild and Woodcrafters Association Durban contributed to the broader crafts experience with their displays and demonstrations in a separate neighbouring marquee.
An activity programme gave visitors opportunities to watch artists and craftspeople demonstrate their techniques, while children's sessions, hands-on activities and informal demonstrations encouraged public participation.
N-Squared Bakery, operated by Nova Challinor, added a welcoming hospitality element with the Crafts Marquee Tea Garden.
For independent makers and small enterprises, the Royal Show provided a valuable opportunity to introduce their work to new audiences, engage with customers and share their enthusiasm for their crafts.
The participation of the guilds and Women's Institutes was especially welcome, maintaining a connection with organisations that have contributed so much to the Show's history.
Visitors to the 2026 Royal Show Crafts Marquee enjoyed demonstrations by artists and craftspeople, with opportunities to learn new techniques, ask questions and try their hand at a variety of creative activities.
Celebrating the achievement and looking ahead
The Royal Agricultural Society Trophy for Special Endeavour is a fitting acknowledgement of the collective effort invested in presenting this year's Crafts Marquee.
Congratulations go to organiser Andrea Prigge, all the exhibitors, participating guilds and organisations, and everyone who contributed to the exhibition's success at Tweedie.
Their achievement offers an opportunity to celebrate not only the creativity and enterprise of today's craftspeople, but also the remarkable heritage of Crafts and Home Industries at the Royal Show.
That history demonstrates what can be accomplished when skilled individuals, community organisations, volunteers and enthusiasts come together with a shared purpose.
It is a heritage rich in possibilities for the future: encouraging young people to develop practical skills, introducing newcomers to traditional and contemporary crafts, fostering excellence through participation, and creating opportunities for people to share their knowledge and experience.
The Women's Institutes and specialist guilds have shown, over many generations, just how valuable that contribution can be.
As the Royal Agricultural Society marks 175 years, the achievements of those who built and sustained the historic Crafts and Home Industries Section deserve to be remembered and celebrated.
The 2026 Crafts Marquee has earned its own place in that story, with a trophy recognising the dedication of the people who brought it together.
It is a promising new chapter in a history that offers both inspiration and opportunity for the years ahead.
