L loves JCBs, loves them. We’ve worked as Brand Ambassadors for JCB Kids in the past and visited Diggerland. This kid is OBSESSED. So when I discovered that the world-famous Dancing Digger team from JCB would be visiting the East Anglian Game and Country Fair just outside of Thetford I booked tickets for me and the kid.
After I had book the tickets I thought the date looked familiar, it was on Dad’s Birthday so a couple of phone calls later and the whole family was coming to watch Diggers dance with L.
Under 5’s were free with adult tickets being £13 in advance, so it wasn’t the cheapest day out so I had my reservations, especially as I had dragged everyone else along on my child’s whim. Having been I can safely say that it was worth every penny, L and I had a fabulous day, we haven’t stopped raving about it to husb who missed the fun. If the JCB Team are returning next year, then we will be too, even though I know I’ll have to pay for all of us. It was that good.
It was really easy to find and very well organised. There were queues to get to the car park, L and I were stuck for around 15 minutes but the others who joined the queue a bit later were waiting closer to 40 minutes. So if you arrange to meet people just factor in some wait time to your journey length. Leaving the car park was a dream, so well organised, with cars being split off over several exits really easing the pressure.
We visited the show on the Sunday and it was freezing, I was woefully under prepared and 40 minutes of waiting for the others to arrive meant L and I were perished, so we got hot drinks and I bought a fabulous hat. Then we had a little mooch round some of the shops and started to get our bearings, it was then time for the first Dancing Digger display of the day. It was very popular and had drawn a large crowd but we still managed to get right next to the fence so L could watch easily. He loved it and I have to say I was very impressed as well.
After the display we had a bit more of a look round at different things, I bought L an aptly themed Digger Fleece as he was cold. I found some gin to sample, we found some yummy food and sat and watched the lumberjacks at work whilst we ate it.
Then we wandered round the fun fair, got an ice cream, sat on a million tractors and had a good look round the falconry centre with all the birds of prey. Even a rather fabulous Golden Eagle. Superb.
Then the others headed home, we wandered with them to the entrance checking out a few shops and admiring the police horses on the way.
L wasn’t ready to leave though, so we said our goodbyes and headed back in. He wanted to say hello to the police horse again and look at the John Deere stand with all the toys, so we did. He then spent some time watching the 4x4s going round their track which was quite impressive, at £2 each for a ride I was a bit gutted I was out of cash by this point as I would have definitely gone for a ride with L.
Then, guess what, it was time for the second Dancing Digger display of the day so off we trotted. It was lovely watching them together, just the two of us. Don’t get me wrong, I loved getting to see everyone else share the first show with him, but just a bit of time together to do something special was awesome. The second show was even better than the first, with yellow smoke and fireworks, we loved it.
After a final wander around it was finally time for us to head off, we had arrived at just gone 10am and didn’t leave until 3.30pm. We had done a little bit of shopping, getting a new hat and jumper. We had watched diggers dance, twice. Seen 4x4s master ridiculous holes. Watched horses racing, seen sheep, ducks, dogs, birds, lumberjacks. Enjoyed lovely food and even a treat of an ice cream. We could have gone on fairground rides too if we had wanted. There was so much to see and do I feel we barely scratched the surface and it was lovely just getting to see Euston Hall which is very impressive. It’s not surprising he slept the whole way home!
I really hope to return next year and maybe it will even be warmer, not that the cold stopped us! A brilliant day out for the whole family. Brilliant!