This year, the Whangarei A&P Society has reduced tickets for school students to only $5, as well as the usual free for children five and under. Chris says this change will allow more people to attend and create great family memories.
"A&P Shows are the stuff childhood memories are made of. This year we want the show to be accessible for even more families, so we've changed the ticket price to reflect this. Adults are $10 and with children $5 or free, depending on the age of your child, we feel its great value for money, especially with all the free activities on the day.
"Our vision is for the show to be a fun, family day out for the whole community. We all have amazing memories of our own A&P Show as a child and we want the region's future generations to have fond memories of their local show too."
Children will have lots to see and do with free activities including: pony rides, the Suzie Moo Show, the Big Dig Sawdust Treasure Hunt, haybale tractor rides and the SPCA Petting Arena. A visit to Santa's grotto for a photo is also a popular attraction for the little ones. Bigger children will enjoy the TeenAg competition, where the fun side of agriculture is promoted while children develop valuable skills and get their hands a bit dirty.
The added 'Teach a Townie to feed a lamb' will also excite the children, with the chance for the public to have a go at bottle feeding lambs in the show's lamb arena at 1pm.
The stage will be alive with free performances throughout the day, including Whangarei Cheerleaders, Hardcore Dance, Active Attitude Aerobics, as well as children's entertainment. New this year is a funky show named Sue & Bruce's Christmas Feast, designed for the younger audience highlighting where our food originally comes from. Another first is a performance by Mrs Wishy Washy.
With no cattle competition this year in a bid to help eradicate the bacterial cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis, there will be other features, including a special Sheep Breeds Exhibition – if you thought all sheep were the same, you are in for a big surprise!
There will be a stock judging competition, donkeys and mules exhibition and the Whangarei Dog Training club will be putting their well-trained pooches through their paces, as well as show jumping and a virtual calf club competition.
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Doug the Digger and the Excavators will be featuring their talents, with Whangarei being one of only three competition locations where they can really get stuck in and dig.
Other activities include bouncy castles, Catch-A-Fish, Mini Jeeps, the Tumble Track with exhibitions and displays from Vintage Machinery, Farm Yard Nursery and Classic Cars. There will also be the usual trade exhibitors including clothing, cars, tractors, machinery, garden and home wares, food, giftware and treats.
The Whangarei A&P Show first began in 1877 and, with the exception of three shows during the World War years, this will be the 138th show.
Whangarei A&P Show 2018
One Epic Show Day - Saturday December 1st
Barge Showgrounds 474 Maunu Rd, Whangarei
Gates open at 9am and close at 4.30pm. Gate admission is $10 per adult, $5 for school students and children 5 years old and under are free.
