This article originally appeared on CrookwellGazette.com.au
Country shows have always been a great day out for families and a chance to celebrate agricultural produce and activities.
Gunning Show is gearing up for another jam-packed weekend this Saturday and Sunday, with plenty of free children’s activities planned including the new Billy Cart Shine and Show and supreme wool, cattle, homemade crafts and baked exhibits ready to go on display.
The main events begin at 9am on Sunday, February 23 at Gunning Showground. Those wanting to make a weekend of it can also head to the free, family-friendly trots from 3pm on Saturday, February 22.
“It’s a great whole of community event where a lot of the activities are geared towards families and it’s a chance to see a real agricultural show. The pavilion is pretty well packed,” Gunning PA&I Society president Frank Hannan said.
“We really try to make it family-friendly so parents aren’t putting their hands in their pockets all day.”
The weather, at this stage, looks good for Saturday and Sunday with sunshine and a top of 28 degrees predicted.
Farm transport theme
This year marks the show’s 118th year and the theme is a ‘history of farm transport’, which will be seen right across the event in the Billy Cart and Shine Show, school display, decorations on baked goods, craft designs and Lego displays.
The Billy Cart and Shine Show will invite children for the first time in 2020 to decorate a billy cart, with prizes going to the best painted and most creative.
Local schools including Gunning and Dalton Public have been busy making 3D horses, carts and tractors and posters to enter into the show’s school display. The theme has given young students a chance to learn about farm transport in their classrooms.
Other free activities for children at the 2020 Gunning Show will include face painting and a patting paddock. There will also be rides and show bags.
The competitions include the show girl and boy; shearing; homebrew beer and wines; cookery; flowers; spinning; dying and weaving; home crafts and hobbies; jams and preserves; relics; orchard and farm produce; needlework; patchwork; textile, knitting and crochet; photography; vegetables; woodwork; wool and yard dog trials.
The winner of Gunning’s Flock Ewe Competition will also be announced at the show at 1pm.
The show boy and girl and woodchopping and chainsaw demonstrations are always well attended, Mr Hannan said.
Gunning PA&I Society secretary Jen Medway said entries are already up, with 501 dog entries and 101 alpaca entries, so far.She is also predicting a strong crowd since the date of the Gunning Show was moved back by a week. Usually, the show coincides with Bega and Gundagai Shows.
- Gunning Show non-member tickets are $25 for a family (two adults, two children), $10 for adults, $5 for under 18s (under 3s go free) and pensioners, and $10 for parking. Purchase at the gate on the day.