How to Plan the Ultimate Family Day Out at History in Action 2027

Some days out are remembered for a ride. Others are remembered for a moment – the crack of a rifle salute across an open field, the smell of woodsmoke drifting from a canvas camp, a child standing wide-eyed beside a wartime lorry taller than they are. That is what a family day out at a living history show gives you, and it is why so many families make the trip to Newbury Showground for History in Action.

If you are planning your first visit to History in Action 2027, this guide walks you through the whole day, from choosing which of the two days suits your family best to booking camping and knowing exactly what the children will see when you arrive.

Why a living history show beats a theme park for families

A theme park gives you queues and a screen-lit blur of motion. A living history show gives you something rarer: the past, at arm’s length, with people in it who will happily stop and talk to your children about the kit they are carrying.

History in Action is a two-day living history spectacular at Newbury Showground on 17 and 18 July 2027. Across the weekend you get full-scale battle re-enactments, authentic encampments covering everything from Roman camps to Second World War dugouts, historic military vehicles out in the open, and living history groups bringing craft, cooking and camp life to life.

For families, the difference is that nothing is behind glass. Children can ask questions, watch a blacksmith work, hear a Spitfire-era engine turn over, and see the same era twice in a day from two completely different viewpoints. It is the kind of day out that turns into a school project, a book from the charity stall, and a conversation in the car on the way home.

Step one: choose the day that suits your family

The show runs across Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027, and both days carry the same core programme of encampments, vehicle displays and battle action. That gives you a genuinely useful choice rather than a compromise.

Saturday tends to suit families who want the fullest day out – arrive for opening, work through the camps in the morning, take in a battle in the afternoon and still have energy for the traders. Sunday often appeals to families travelling a distance or staying over, because you can take the camps at a slower pace, revisit the displays your children loved most, and still be home at a reasonable hour.

If you are unsure, look at the showground programme when it is published nearer the event and count backwards from the battle timings. Pick the day where the main battle sits comfortably between your arrival and your departure, and build the rest of the day around it.

Step two: book your tickets and sort out camping

Tickets for History in Action are booked online, and booking early is the simplest way to protect your day. Prices change as the event approaches, so the earlier you book, the better the value. Once you have booked, you receive an instant email with your confirmation and scannable tickets, which means no printing and nothing to lose on the morning of the show.

If you want to make a weekend of it, public camping lets you stay on site under the lanterns for the full immersive experience. That is the option that turns a day out into a proper family adventure: pitches on site, an evening atmosphere among the camps, and no long drive home in the dark. Camping has its own rules and booking process, so read those carefully when you book and bring the kit the site asks for.

A simple way to decide: book a day ticket if you live within comfortable driving distance, and book camping if you would otherwise spend more than two hours each way. Staying over also means you can see the showground in the evening light, when the camps look at their most atmospheric.

Step three: plan your journey to Newbury Showground

Newbury Showground sits in Berkshire with good road access from the M4 corridor, which makes it a realistic day trip for families across the south of England and the Midlands. Plan to arrive ahead of the gates opening so you are through the car park and into the camps before the first crowd builds.

A few practical points worth building into your plan: allow extra time for the car park at peak arrival, keep everyone’s ticket confirmation accessible on one phone, and agree a meeting point near the entrance in case your group splits up during the day. Showgrounds are large, and a fixed meeting point takes the stress out of a busy afternoon.

What to expect on the day

Your day at a living history show works best in three passes rather than one long queue of attractions.

The encampments in the morning

Start with the living history camps while everyone is fresh. This is where the detail lives – cooking pots, uniforms, letters, tools, and reenactors who have spent years getting the small things right. Living history groups attend History in Action free of charge and represent a huge range of periods, so you can walk from one era to another in a few minutes. Encourage your children to ask questions; the people in the camps are there because they love explaining what they do.

The battle action in the afternoon

The battle re-enactments are the centrepiece for most families, and timings are published in the event programme. Claim your spot a little early, bring water, and talk younger children through what is about to happen so the noise and scale feel exciting rather than overwhelming. Ear defenders are worth packing for sensitive ears.

The vehicles and traders at your own pace

Between the battles, the military vehicle displays are an easy win for families – historic machines from wartime classics to specialist military transport, parked out in the open where you can look closely. The trader lines are equally good for a slow wander, with military memorabilia, historical collectables, crafts, clothing and gifts, plus food and drink to keep everyone going.

Family-friendly planning tips

Pack for a field, not a shopping centre: sun cream, hats, waterproofs, refillable water bottles and comfortable shoes for uneven ground. Bring cash for smaller stalls, and a blanket or folding chairs if you plan to settle in for the battle. Pushchairs cope with the main paths but struggle on rougher ground, so a sling for very small children is a smart backup.

Give everyone one thing to look forward to. Children engage far more with a showground when they know a specific camp, vehicle or period is on their own list. And build in a rest stop – a full day of walking and standing is a lot for short legs, and a sit-down in the middle of the afternoon keeps the last few hours enjoyable.

Make 2027 the year you step into the past

History in Action 2027 takes place on 17 and 18 July at Newbury Showground, and it is the family day out that gives you stories rather than souvenirs. Book your tickets and camping early while prices are at their best, put the dates in the diary, and spend the months before the show letting your family choose which eras they want to seek out first.

Step through the gates, walk into the camps, and let the past do the rest. We will see you on the showground.