Over the weekend, Blackpool was filled with more than 6,000 young farmers sporting mullet haircuts who were attending their annual DIY Young Farmers AGM. The clubs prepared by coating their floors in sawdust in anticipation of the chaos that the young farmers would bring. Despite their rowdy behavior and the £60,000 spent on kebabs during their bender, the police did not have any issues with their antics. The farmers, who had traveled from all over the country, enjoyed performances from rapping farmer Dpart, YouTuber chats, and DJ sets from Ultrabeat during the three-day event. The morning-to-night revelries captured the attention of many, with videos of the farmers going viral on social media.
One of the event’s organizers, Sam Hargreaves, mentioned that the farmers were indeed “off their head” but emphasized that they were there to have fun and not to cause trouble. Sam clarified that the sawdust on the nightclubs’ floors, mistaken by many as mud or cow muck, was actually there to soak up any spillages. The videos and images of the unconventional hairstyles and wild behavior of the young farmers garnered attention and some criticism online. Despite this, Sam highlighted the positive impact of the event on Blackpool’s economy, citing the significant amount of money brought in by the farmers over the weekend. He also mentioned that the event had been canceled in previous years due to bad behavior, but this time, everyone behaved themselves and enjoyed the gathering.
The annual Young Farmers AGM saw a surge in attendance with over 6,000 farmers making the pilgrimage to Blackpool over the early May bank holiday weekend. The comments section online was filled with claims of the farmers being badly behaved, but Sam defended them, stressing that they were there to have a good time and that a lot of money was injected into the local economy during the event. Meetings were held with various authorities, including councils, police, and venue managers, to ensure that everything went smoothly. Despite drawing flack for their boozy behavior, Sam pointed out that the event provided an opportunity for farmers who spend most of their time alone, working on their farms, to come together and have a memorable time.
The police were content with the behavior of the young farmers, stating that although they were “maniacs,” they were not causing trouble but were simply there to enjoy themselves. The event, which had been canceled in the past due to previous incidents, ran smoothly this time, with all hotels fully booked, taxis hard to come by, and local takeaways cashing in on the farmers by selling £60,000 worth of kebabs and pizzas. The Young Farmers AGM was considered one of the most fruitful events for Blackpool’s economy, and despite the unconventional hairstyles and rowdy behavior, the farmers were seen as bringing a sense of fun and energy to the seaside town. The event provided a rare opportunity for farmers to socialize and connect, breaking away from their usual solitary work routine on the farm.
