Wānaka A&P Show event assistant and volunteers manager Tasha Wadeson started the two roles in October and told the Otago Daily Times this week she could not be more excited about the challenge ahead.
Ms Wadeson, who has lived in the Upper Clutha community for the past 25 years, said the show relied heavily on volunteers — many of whom gave their time year in, year out.
"Many individuals who volunteer are locals who help out year after year.
"Some give days of help and some give weeks.
"There is some amazing dedication that gives people a real sense of belonging and local identity," she said.
There were around 380 volunteer shifts that needed to be filled for the show to run smoothly.
"We currently have 40 individual volunteers and work with 20 community groups, who give their time and we give back to them.
"They will work in the larger areas like traffic management and ticket sales.
"All our volunteers are a real integral part of the operation and it could not work without them.
"We still need around 30 individual volunteers and another two community groups," she said.
Previously involved in the show through trade operations last year, Ms Wadeson said that experience helped her understand how the magic happened behind the scenes.
"It was quite cool because it got my head around the background and inside the show," she said.
The Wānaka A&P show is one of the country’s largest agricultural shows, and this March organisers are expecting around 40,000 people to attend the two-day show.
Held at at the Wānaka Showgrounds, the show offers a range of agricultural exhibitions and trade stalls, as well as family-friendly entertainment and food.
"We’re always moving forward and seeing what else is out there," Ms Wadeson said.
"People don’t want the exact same show all the time."
