Canterbury's iconic A&P Show is returning this year. Photo / George Heard
Canterbury's iconic A&P Show is returning this year. Photo / George Heard
A Christchurch hire company has taken over the 2024 New Zealand Agricultural Show - promising an “exciting and innovative” event that brings together both the old and the new.
The iconic show faced cancellation earlier in the year after the Canterbury A&P Association board said it did not have the funds to host it.
In May, Event Hire reached a deal with the board, salvaging the event and renaming it “The Christchurch Show”.
The New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch. Photo / George Heard
Now, the company has 90 days to pull together an event with a legacy which spans 160 years.
Operations manager Michael Dewar said contrary to previous rhetoric, this year’s show will not be a “slimmed-down” version.
“What we’re trying to do this year is take all of the good bits from the past and put them together. I know there’s been talk about it being scaled back, but we’re not looking to downsize by any means,” he said.
Dewar said punters can anticipate a combination of traditional and modern elements.
“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here … we want that continuity, we want the legacy of the show to continue,” he said.
Customers can expect all the classic activities like axe throwing, sheep shearing and amusement rides - all for a significantly cheaper ticket price.
Woodchopping is a tradition at the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch. Photo / George Heard
“We knew the feedback from the public is that it’s too expensive, which is why we’ve dropped ticket prices to $20,” said Dewar.
Dewar said Event Hire understands the significance the A&P show has for the Canterbury region, being a vendor for the event the past few years.
“It’s one of the premier A&P shows in the country, it’s a key part of Canterbury, and it’s iconic to Christchurch,” he said.
Event Hire has seen first-hand the generations of Cantabrian families who attend the show annually.
“Everyone we talk to has a different story, from when they were younger, when they were in previous years when they went as a kid, or when they’ve taken their kids. Everyone’s got different stories to tell,” said Dewar.
Dewar said they aim to cater for all of these perspectives. Which is part of the reason they have altered the days on which the event will be held.
Unlike previous years, this year’s show will take place from Thursday through to Saturday, November 14-16.
“The goal is to spread the load. We want people to come in on Friday and Saturday, allowing for those people travelling from out of town,” Dewar said.
Typically, the show would take place from Wednesday to Friday. This way, instead of relying on weekday and public holiday customers, businesses involved can expect more weekend attendees on the Saturday.
“We know how important it is for like business ... We’ve had feedback from some vendors that they do three months of their trading just in the three days of the show,” Dewar said.
Overall, Dewar said Event Hire is prioritising “the experience”.
“We want it to be experience-driven. We want people to go into the event, whether they’re a trade supplier, an exhibitor, a competitor or member of the public, whether they’ve got an agricultural background, whether they’re urban ... We really want everyone to come into the show to have an experience that’s memorable for them,” he said.
“We want them to come and say, ‘I got value for money, I had a great experience. And I want to come back’.”
Katie Oliver is a Christchurch-based multimedia journalist and breaking news reporter.
