National Fruit Show
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About us

The home of the British fruit industry

The Marden Fruit Show Society (MFSS) is a Registered Charity run by a voluntary committee who represent many different facets of the fruit industry. The aim of the Society is to promote the better growing, grading and marketing of fruit.

The Society organises the National Fruit Show, which acts as a meeting place for the industry. The centrepiece of the show, held each November, is the largest competitive display of commercially grown top and soft fruit staged in the UK.

Get to know us

Meet the Team

The Marden Fruit Show Society and it's National Fruit Show, commercial fruit competition and education programme is run by a dedicated team with support from other trustees and general committee members.

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Timeline

Our Heritage

6 March 1933

First official meeting/AGM. View the Show announcement letter

19 & 20 October 1933

First Show on Thursday and Friday. Total attendance 1,538.

19 March 1934

2nd AGM. Balance sheet showed a surplus of £83 2s 11d

24/25 October 1934

2nd Show on Wednesday & Thursday. Total attendance 2,208

23 September 1935

Show cancelled due to a reduced number of entries. This was attributed to bad weather earlier in the year and recent gale damage.

7/8 October 1936

1st show where judging takes place on Tuesday. Total attendance 1,856

1938

Show abandoned due to severe frost damage

1939

Show cancelled due to outbreak of WWII View the cancellation notice letter

14 May 1940

Emergency War Committee formed. Show postponed for the duration of the war

27/28 October 1948

After an absence of ten years, the fifth annual show. Attendance 2477

26 October 1952

1st public post show event with the fruit being re-staged at Selfridges, London, prior to this the fruit was always sold at auction

29 October 1953

Royal Visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

13 March 1967

Change of name to The Marden Fruit Show Society. Previously The Marden & District Commercial Fruit Show

October 1972

First Bonanza Prize – A Berthaud 1500 Spraying Machine

October 1980

First Handbook

October 1984

Royal Visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

October 1992

Show moves to the Kent Showground at Detling

1999

Show relaunched as The National Fruit Show

October 2013

Marden Fruit Show Society celebrates 80th anniversary

October 2014

Show venue now the Maidstone Exhibition Hall featuring new Fruit Display and expanded exhibitor space

NOVEMBER 2023

Marden Fruit Show Society celebrates 90th anniversary

November 2024

Show transitions to a new one-day format