GROUNDSFEST
NEW! Lawn Mower Racing – The GroundsFest Cup – in partnership with Kramp UK
For the first time ever, GroundsFest will host adrenaline-fuelled Lawn Mower Racing as part of the brandnew GroundsFest Cup.
Across both days of the show, professional racers from the West Midlands Lawn Mower Racing Association will battle it out on a custom-built track- blades removed but engines roaring.
Expect tight corners and plenty of friendly rivalry as competitors push their modified machines to the limit in pursuit of the inaugural GroundsFest Cup title.
The Landscape Zone in Partnership with BALI
For landscape architects, garden designers, contractors, and green infrastructure professionals, the Landscape Zone is a must-visit.
This dedicated area is packed with exhibitors showcasing futurefocused products and solutions, from sustainable planting schemes to advanced outdoor construction technologies.
At the heart of the Landscape Zone is the Landscape Theatre, home to a two-day programme of CPDaccredited seminars. This year’ s lineup blends business advice, practical expertise, and forward-thinking sustainability topics.
Day one will see Kim Sones share tax-saving strategies tailored for landscaping business owners, followed by Adtrak’ s Aalia Zorko and Ben Shaw on how AI is revolutionising digital marketing. Renowned designer Andrew Wilson will offer tips on persuading clients to embrace sustainable choices, while George Trott and John Mellor explore how to futureproof urban landscapes. Later sessions will cover sustainability in grounds maintenance with Andy Corcoran and Ryan Pembroke, and the industry’ s skills shortage with Nigel Payne and Victoria Fiander.
Day two opens with an honest panel discussion on what it really takes to run a successful landscaping business, featuring Rob Woodhouse, Will Petty, and Dan from Design It Landscapes. Soil expert Tim O’ Hare will then share insights into mastering soil for resilient landscapes, followed by Kate Cooney from Perennial tackling mental health and motivation in the trades.
The programme closes with Wildflower Turf discussing wildflower meadows and rewilding targets for local authorities.
Festival Vibes After Hours
When the business of the day is done, the networking continues in a more relaxed style. On the evening of 9 September, the GroundsFest Live Music Festival kicks off with street food and live sets from Definitely Mightbe- the world’ s best Oasis tribute band- and Elevate, plus a live DJ. And yes, the everpopular bumper cars are back- and free to ride.
Why You Can’ t Miss It
With hundreds of brands in one place, the chance to try equipment first-hand, access to top-tier education, and a social scene that makes networking easy, GroundsFest is more than an exhibition- it’ s an unmissable industry experience.
Register FREE today at www. groundsfest. com and join the UK’ s You can also follow GroundsFest most exciting landscaping and on Twitter, Facebook and groundscare event. Instagram @ GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and You can also follow insightful GroundsFest views. on
X, Facebook and Instagram @ GroundsFest
12 GroundskeepingJournal. co. uk | September / October 2025