La Rural
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
La Rural (formally La Exposición Rural) is an annual agricultural and livestock show in Argentina, which takes place at an exhibition centre and showground in Palermo, Buenos Aires, also called La Rural, formally El Solar de Palermo. La Rural was a major feature of the porteño social scene in the 20th century.
The event, organised by the Sociedad Rural Argentina (confusing also called 'La Rural'), takes place in July each year and first took place in 1886. It is primarily a farming show, with breeders coming from across the country to show their livestock, particularly cattle. The event soon became a major social event in prosperous Argentina, taking place in Buenos Aires' most exclusive neighbourhood. Balls and other events would take place coinciding with La Rural. However, with the onset of the country's economic crisis of the later 20th century, the event lost much of its lustre, but is still popular with visitors. In 2005, 715,000 people visited La Rural, which had almost 400 stands and 4,000 animals.
The Sociedad, founded in 1866, built the La Rural showground in the 1870s as its parade ground and it features a Belle Epoque stadium and a modern exhibition hall. During the rest of the year, the exhibition centre is used for other events and trade shows. The Opera Pampa organises shows in the stadium, showcasing the history of Argentina with zamba dances and an asado in the dining rooms.
