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The Canterbury A&P Show will return this November in its traditional three-day format, running from Wednesday to Friday for its 163rd event.
Organisers say the move back to the long-standing midweek schedule follows feedback from farmers, rural exhibitors and agricultural businesses.
The dates follow the show’straditional formula, the second Friday after the first Tuesday of November, meaning this year’s event will run from Wednesday, November 11, to Friday, November 13, at Canterbury Agricultural Park.
In the last two years, the Show had a Thursday to Saturday format in a bid to boost attendance.
The Canterbury A&P Show will return this November in its traditional three-day format. Photo / George Heard
However, Canterbury A&P Association chairman Sir David Carter said the change of schedule was a return to the show’s roots.
“Wednesday-Friday is the format that works for farmers, for competitors, and for the rural community that built this show.
“We listened to our exhibitors and our members, and we are acting on what they told us. That is what good governance looks like.”
The change also addresses a scheduling conflict with the New Zealand Cup, since the Thursday-Saturday schedule overlapped with cup day, which is always on a Saturday.
The 163rd Canterbury A&P Show is set to return to its original schedule this November. Photo / George Heard
Removing the clash would allow both events to remain pillars on Canterbury’s social calendar.
Geoff Bone, event director of the Canterbury A&P Show, said attendees got a rural experience from the show.
“When we build this show around rural exhibitors and competitors, the urban audience gets something no other event can offer – a genuinely authentic rural experience to share with their kids.
“That’s what they come for. That’s what we have to protect.”
