What's On Show At Ag Fest?
| Published date | 10 April 2024 |
| Publication title | West Coast Farming Times, The |
The two-day rural festival is the largest event on the West Coast calendar.
Last year, Ag Fest drew up to 17,000 people, and even more the time before when it was the first major post-Covid field day.
A raft of exhibits should interest farmers, from Farmlands to tractor companies, fencing contractors, and even electric cars.
Six distilleries will also be on site - Reefton, Auld Farm, Crimson Badger, Rifters Gin, Lammermoor, and Herrick Creek.
There will be more food stalls this year too and the Speights Bar is back.
Co-organiser Andy Thompson said farmers tended to favour the Friday, and families the Saturday. There is also retail therapy for women.
The Friday was often a bit quieter and people had time to talk to stallholders.
Mr Thompson said it had a genuine 'field day feel' - an A and P show without the livestock and horses.
With dairy prices on the up, he believes farmers will be more confident about buying.
The favourites will be back this year, including a Ferris wheel, while an old West Coast tradition is being resurrected to raise funds - a tug o' war.
About 50% of stalls are new, which surprises organisers.
"If you think you've seen it all before, you haven't," Mr Thompson said.
Research has shown the direct benefits of Ag Fest, from the likes of accommodation and local eftpos purchases, total a couple of a million dollars.
That does not include big-ticket sales on the showgrounds, such as tractors and cars.
This year, Ag Fest has partnered with the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, which runs Ranui House in Christchurch, where 25% of patients being housed are from the West Coast.
People buying a ticket to Ag Fest can donate, along with a silent fundraising auction, and also a corporate tug o' war.
The "village green" will return, with entertainment including Cam Scott and bands on the Friday and Saturday, a bar and food court. The gumbootdecorating event is also back, but Ag Chef is off the menu this year.
Sturgeon's Amusements will return with their hugely popular children's funfair rides.
"It wouldn't be Ag Fest without the Ferris wheel," Mr Thompson said.
"It's one of the things I'm most proud of - bringing a ferris wheel, which harks back to the [Greymouth] Industry Fair days."
Roger Devlin will again be running a shuttle to drive people to the gates.
Gate sales are $15 for adults and under 12s are $5.
What's on show for farmers
PGG Wrightson
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