For the first time the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust will have a stand at the show and it is offering demonstrations in gold-panning.
Reigning New Zealand gold-panning champion Stuart Ide, of Arrowtown, said for every person who pays to have a go at panning "they will find at least one flake of gold to take away but maybe up to five or more".
Mr Ide said three members of the New Zealand team who competed in the world gold-panning championships in Scotland last year would be demonstrating regular panning and speed-panning at the show.
A different type of pan was used for speed-panning and both Mr Ide and his daughter were two members of the New Zealand team that won gold in Scotland for the team speed-panning event.
Mr Ide said one of the reasons they came to the Wanaka A&P Show was because the number of young people gold-panning was dropping and he would like to see more young people taking it up.
"I did gold-panning as a child when my father took me out to Skippers Canyon and we used to go gold-panning for the day."
"It's recreation for me, a hobby. I enjoy it."
He said one of the best parts about gold-panning in New Zealand was that it was free. You did not have to pay fees if you went to the recreational gold-panning areas, "and, unlike fishing, you don't have to throw the small ones back, you get to keep the flakes".
The Wanaka Show starts today.
