Innovation in agricultural and county shows: conceptualising the e-eventscape

AbstractPurpose – In response to the cancellation of a host of events during the summer of 2020, the purpose of thispaper is to examine the rapid innovation that created an online County Show. County Shows are traditionallyassociated with agriculture and the wider rural economy of a region and provide a range of visitor experiencesalongside business networking and trading opportunities. The case of the online Lincolnshire Show sought toreplicate many aspects of a physical show, and this paper evaluates its effectiveness by applying a newlydeveloped e-eventscape model.Design/methodology/approach –A mixed-methods approach generated data from businesses, visitors andthe show organiser. Surveys and social media feedback from attendees captured overall satisfaction levels andsuggestions for improvements. Participation in the online Business Breakfast event along with an interviewwith the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Show provided deeper understanding of the innovation occurring.Findings – The nature of innovation was strongly rooted in place, despite creating a virtual product. Localnetworks and supporters were critical to staging the online Show. The proposed e-eventscape model allowed aneffective appraisal of the online Show, identifying many strengths in terms of the user interface and aestheticsas well as opportunities for improvement, especially linked to greater interactive engagement.Originality/value – The impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have accelerated digital innovationin a range of events and festivals. This provides an opportunity to examine the evolving role of Shows in therural economy and the innovation processes that have emerged. As well as presenting original insights intorural innovation, the paper develops and tests a new e-eventscape model applicable to the growing field ofonline events and festivals. Findings indicate that there is considerable scope for organisers to embed onlinecontent into the future of many live Shows and festivals, far beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.