The New Zealand Agricultural Show will not go ahead in 2020, the first time the event has been cancelled since World War II.
The Canterbury A&P Show Association announced the decision today, thanking its members for being "guardians of the show for 157 years".
There was financial uncertainty to the event due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the association said in a press release.
"If we continued to prepare for the show and find out the month before we are unable to run, then the association would be bankrupted".
"It is with this in mind that the Event Management Team, General Committee and the Board had to finalise a decision, sacrificing this year's show to shore up its future."