Preparing for A&P Show, hoping for best

Silver Fern Farms began setting up for the Wanaka A&P Show on Tuesday afternoon, before the board...
Silver Fern Farms began setting up for the Wanaka A&P Show on Tuesday afternoon, before the board decided to go ahead with the show for now. PHOTO: KERRIE WATERWORTH
Preparations for the Wanaka A&P Show to be held on March 12 and 13 will move into top gear today even though organisers are unsure whether the show can happen.

On Tuesday night, the five-member A&P board voted unanimously to proceed with the show, but on Sunday the Government will decide whether the country can move from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1 for areas outside Auckland.

The first trade tent went up on Tuesday in Pembroke Park.

Paul Menzies was in charge of the team erecting the Silver Fern Farms tent and said "they would keep building until they were told to stop, otherwise it would not be finished in time".

Board chairman Mike Scurr said today was the first big working bee for volunteers and they would begin unloading the pavilion and sorting out the different sections.

Between 30,000 and 40,000 people have attended the two-day event in the past and the show has raised more than $200,000 for local charities. According to an economic survey five years ago, it contributed $19million to the town’s economy.

Mr Scurr said "we are still not across the line, the decision now is with [Prime Minister] Jacinda [Ardern] and the Government".

"We were the last and biggest show in the South Island before Covid and it would be fantastic if we can successfully run the first A&P show in the South Island in our Covid climate."

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