A POPULAR country show which draws in crowds of up to 20,000 has been cancelled for the second year running.

The Eye Show, which is usually held at Goodrich Park, Palgrave, over the August bank holiday weekend, will not be taking place this year.

But organisers are optimistic a new summer fete set to be taking place in the same month will provide a worthy alternative.

Plans are being drawn up to stage the event at the community centre in Eye itself in August.

But Tim Seeley, one of the Eye Show organisers, said he was hopeful the Palgrave event would be staged once again in 2014.

The show did not take place last year due to the effects of the economic downturn and a busy schedule of summer events, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Olympic Torch relay.

The show, which has been running for more than a century, features rural pastimes, motoring thrills, aerial displays and unusual animal competitions as well as a Prince of Wales Royal Regiment freefall team.

Meanwhile, the new community centre show, which is separate from the Eye Show, is set to be held during the August bank holiday weekend in the centre’s grounds.

It will include a vintage car display, dog show and flower show.

Eye mayor Merlin Carr said the aim was to hold a show this year to see how it went before making a decision over its future.

He added: “It was just an idea to have one this year and see how it went. It is not an alternative to the Eye Show.”

He said there was a need for Eye to have a show of its own.