Yass Show will be reduced to one day with crowd-attracting events such as the rodeo a no go.
The big changes have been made to the Yass Show to accommodate Covid-safe standards according to organisers.
The Yass Show Society executive has decided to continue the yearly tradition in service to the community, however, as said simply by Yass Show president Anne Hazell, “It won’t be what people are used to.”
For those curious about what to expect in these new changes, and how it affects the overall community, Mrs Hazell and volunteer Catriona McAuliffe detail below.
First and foremost is a modification to the Show’s dates and times; what would typically be a multi-day experience has been shortened into one day on March 20th. The show day is expected to run longer, from 8 am to 7 in the evening, subject to revision closer to the date as much of the standard entertainment will be absent this year to fall in line with Covid measures.
The entertainment in question that Yass residents will likely miss includes the Bull Riders Rodeo, dance competitions along with jam and preserve competitions and shearing to name a few, with limited gathering at others.
In particular, the shearing will be absent for not only this event but any foreseeable events, returning after full removal/lifting of Covid restrictions.
However, other popular attractions, such as woodchopping, will still be available. As a result of reduced entertainment options, the Yass Show Society for 2021 will seek to present more local farm produce, plants and fauna, with a strong focus on agriculture, confirmed by President Hazell; “this year will be more like an agricultural show rather than entertainment-based.”
The transferal between carnival-fair entertainment to agricultural appreciation has greatly contributed to keeping the Show open for the community. Despite the Covid restrictions, it was of great importance to Yass Show Society.
“It’s partly about tradition, but it’s also very much community, there hasn’t been much for them in the past 12 months, and it’s also about supporting our farmers,” said Mrs Hazell.
“It’s been our main motivation as we were worried we might not get much of a chance this year.”
This falls in line with similar comments made about other annual events, including the recent late-night shopping and street parade held in Yass to provide morale boosts to the community.
To run effectively, the Yass Show is in search of new volunteers. Both Mrs Hazell and Mrs McAuliffe identified the need for extra assistance, especially due to the older age of many of their current volunteers who so far have struggled with the workload, “We’re putting out a call for volunteers, we need more bodies, most of our volunteers are elderly.”
Those interested in assisting their communities are welcome to approach, and efforts would be much appreciated. Mrs Hazell noted that “our volunteers will have to be stationed around the pavilion” accompanied by similar comments from Mrs McAuliffe, identifying the issue as “more the logistics of avoiding crowds and moving people through the indoors quickly.
The social gathering limit for the Show is, with current restrictions, sitting at five hundred people at one given time, with the standard distancing rule of 1.5 metres.
Online booking should be fully available around February. The tickets are cheaper than the standard fare, a reduction due to the reduced event program, with vendor prices currently listed on Yass Show Society Facebook page @ $20.
Ticket prices for public visitors are expected to be uploaded soon.
Griffin Palen
