La Rural

La Exposición Rural (in English: The Rural Exhibition), is an annual agricultural and livestock show held in the Palermo section of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event is organised by La Sociedad Rural Argentina (in English: The Argentine Rural Society) and both the Exhibition and the Society are known locally as La Rural.

The exhibition has taken place in the society's Santa Fe Avenue exhibition centre and fairground, each year in July since 1886. Primarily a farming show, breeders arrive from all over the country to exhibit their livestock, particularly cattle. It became a major feature of the porteño social scene in prosperous Argentina, taking place in Buenos Aires' most exclusive neighbourhood and accompanied by balls and other events. However, with the onset of the country's economic crisis towards the end of the 20th century, the event lost some of its vitality, although it is still popular with visitors. In 2005, 715,000 people visited the exhibition, which had almost 400 stands and 4,000 animals.

The Society was founded on 10 July 1866 by Eduardo Olivera and José Martínez de Hoz with the motto 'To cultivate the soil is to serve the country', and was formally known as 'El Solar de Palermo'. Built in the 1870s, the Society's showground features a Belle Epoque stadium and a modern exhibition hall. During the rest of the year, the exhibition hall is used for other events including 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. With over 10,000 members, the Society has branch offices in many parts of the country.

Panoramic view of the Rural Exhibition

External links

• Showground official website
• Exhibition official site
• Buenos Aires Beef, on Hoof and on Plates New York Times

Coordinates: 34°34′43″S 58°25′15.1″W / 34.57861°S 58.420861°W