Building Cereals: How GL events UK transforms the UK's leading arable farming show

The annual event attracts up to 20,000 farmers over two days, with up to 450 exhibitors offering essential products to the arable farming sector, including machinery, seeds, agronomy services, grain dryers, and other specialised farming equipment. The large-scale event covers approximately 50 to 60 hectares.  

GL events UK has had a longstanding partnership with Cereals for well over 30 years, providing temporary exhibition structures and essential event infrastructure including lecture theatres, covered registration areas and trade stands. 

The GL events team works closely with the Cereals organisers, to supply key structures to enhance the layout and flow of the exhibition. Our frame structures are often the first sight visitors are greeted with when entering the exhibition, creating a welcoming first impression.  

Exhibitors can also procure their own marquees directly through GL events UK and are frequently referred by the event organisers. Our team then provide a direct quote and collaborate with exhibitors and stand builders to deliver a bespoke event stand for the various companies who exhibit. 

The tents provided by GL events UK are used for many aspects of the event programme, including marquees for theatres hosting presentations, demonstrations and discussions. We also supply indoor stands for smaller exhibitors who may not have their own marquee provider or are working within a tighter budget. These ready-to-use stands allow startups to participate, grow, and gain brand exposure. 

In addition, GL events UK supplies marquees for many of Cereals’ larger clients, supporting exhibitors with custom-built marquees and indoor structures on site. 

The crop plot area has a distinct look and feel within the exhibition, and GL events UK plays a crucial role here by providing smaller marquees tailored for compact machinery and niche exhibitors.  As a popular spot for photographers, it’s important that these marquees look their best. 

Working closely together with the Cereals team, we have regular meetings, including site visits, to discuss event layout and optimal structure placement. With their years of expertise, the GL events team can provide advice on the suitability of each location based on the finalised floor plan, ensuring an effective setup. 

Planning begins early for the event, with floor plans finalised and the crop plots marked and planted in August, for the following year. GL events UK is the first contractor on-site following this setup, with construction for this year's event beginning on 28th May, ready for the show’s opening on 11th June. 

As the event changes location every year, the advice our marquee experts can provide is invaluable, helping the exhibition to adapt to different environments while keeping the high-quality look and feel of the event structures.

In 2023 for example, the site location presented challenging topography with a lot of elevation. The insight that the GL events’ team could provide meant the positioning of the structures remained safe, whilst still looking their best.

Weather is another challenge faced by any outdoor event. In 2019, for example, Lincoln saw heavy rain the week before the exhibition, leaving six inches of standing water. Despite these conditions, GL events’ marquees held strong, providing shelter to exhibitors and guests alike. Handling the UK’s unpredictable wind and rain is essential for outdoor events, and we're well-prepared to manage these elements. 

Each year, the collaboration with GL events UK elevates the overall look, functionality, and attendee experience at the Cereals event. The well-placed and visually appealing marquees not only provided essential spaces for exhibitors, presentations, and crop demonstrations but also enhance the look and feel of the event, especially in high-visibility areas like the crop plot section.  

Going forward, we continue to build on our strong partnership with Cereals. In response to the growing number of younger attendees in the farming community and evolving audience preferences post-COVID, our team are working with Cereals to introduce more informal spaces, such as tipis, to enrich the event experience, helping to create a festival look within a B2B environment.