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The Mahurangi district will celebrate its rural heritage with the staging of the annual Warkworth A&P Lifestyle Show at the Warkworth Showgrounds on State Highway One on Saturday, March 16.
Visitors can expect all the regular favourites, as well as a few surprises.
Show president Carl King says last year’s show was a big success and everyone was looking forward to staging this year’s event.
He says the layout of the show has had to be reconfigured slightly to accommodate work Auckland Council is doing at the showgrounds, but otherwise it will be business as usual.
He particularly thanked Wharehine for once again stepping up as the major sponsor.
“Thanks to their support, and the support of other sponsors, we’ve been able to keep the ticket price the same as last year – $10 for an adult, $5 for a child (5-12), under fives free and a family pass $30 (two adults and up to four children),” King says.
This year’s show will be compared by radio personality Estelle Clifford and one of the new events will be a fundraising auction, with a range of items going under the hammer including truckloads of metal, sets of car or 4WD tyres, jackets, umbrellas and cooking materials.
Regular show-goers won’t be disappointed. There will be plenty of animals for children to meet and greet, and opportunities to feed the calves. The Country Retreat Animal Sanctuary will also have animals on show and for adoption.
The Puhoi Axemen will be sending the chips flying and the shearing shed will be the place to watch skilled professionals strip the fleece off the sheep. For more sedate viewing, the indoor exhibits will be displayed in a shed on site, rather than the usual marquee.
The giant puzzles are back, as well as the Billy Black Kiwi Culture Show on the entertainment stage and kapa haka performances. There will be a vintage car display and a special working display by the Warkworth Museum.
The Kids Zone with children’s rides and activities will again be free, thanks to the sponsorship of Mason Contractors and Northland Waste.
The Warkworth Volunteer Fire Brigade will also be running fire-themed training games for children.
There will be a number of horse events throughout the day, including the cowboy challenge and mounted games.
King says last year’s show was a little light on food vendors, so their numbers have been bumped up this year.
He is also expecting the trade exhibit area to be busy.
“There has been good interest in the trade sites. Last year’s exhibitors had a good show and I think that by word-of-mouth others have been encouraged to get involved, which is great.”
Now in its 157th year, the Warkworth Show is one the area’s much-loved family entertainment days.
