Kangaroo Valley Agricultural & Horticultural Show
After fires, pandemic and floods, the Kangaroo Valley Agricultural and Horticultural Show is on track to return with a vengeance. The two year hiatus has only served to make the community even more welcoming and the organisers even more organised for what is set to be a wonderful two day celebration of life in Australia’s most beautiful valley.
A true family-friendly event, there is something for everyone from 08.30am until 11.00pm both days. The traditional show favourites will be centre-stage in the Arena, the Paddock, the Poultry Shed and the Pavilion featuring the hotly contested competitions for Horses, Poultry and Cattle with entrants of all ages and breeds. Alongside the animals are the arts, crafts, cooking and produce. Entries are now open with all of the classes and information on the website. And then there’s the entertainment, the local food and drinks, Side Show Alley, the Grand Parade and the Rodeo.
For the first time in KV and anywhere in NSW, the Show will go plastic-free. Local sponsor support has helped to produce thousands of calico bags that will be available for a gold coin contribution while paper bags will replace the plastic showbags.
Membership tickets for the two days are available online (see below) at $20 for adults and $10 for children, with single day tickets also available.
For the Kids
Friday is kids day at the Show with a huge range of ways to get involved and great prizes to take home. The day will kick off with the Junior Horse events before Children’s Bicycle Races, Dog Obstacle Races and special events like Children’s Fancy Dress, Pet Show and more. There’s Giant games, Frisbee Golf, face painting, Griego the Great Roving Magician, Farmyard Nursery (Saturday only), Camel rides (Saturday only) and Craft Corner going from 10-3pm.
The Junior Pavilion has one hundred classes for children 16 and under to enter; everything from homegrown veggies, to cooking, cake decorating, wood and metal work, craft and needlework, flowers and even a school project. Entries are free and there is no limit on the number of classes you enter.
At the all new Poultry Shed, the Junior Poultry Event is open to any breed, the only requirement being that a child under 12 has to hand deliver it to the judges before 10am on Friday.
Poetry in the Paddock
KV welcomes relative newcomer Laurie Webb, the reigning Victorian Bush Poetry champion for original performed verse. Laurie believes everyone has a story and bush poetry captures not only the story but the feeling. He runs workshops on writing and performing poetry and is bringing that to the Valley, working with budding poets of all ages to help prepare them for the Poetry in the Paddock stage at this year’s show. Friday will see children perform while Saturday, it will be the adult’s turn. Ahead of that, Laurie will conduct workshops at the school and at Hampden Deli.
Giving a Poem – Workshop Details
When talking about poetry, we traditionally use the word give rather than recite or perform because this is an act of giving a poem, through you, to the audience. We want to do justice to the poet and to the audience. This workshop is for anyone who wants to give that poem a little bit better.
The free 1 hr workshop at Hampden Deli in Kangaroo Valley on Wednesday Feb 8th and 15th will consist of presentation about techniques, and then practice of skills in small groups, to give and get supportive feedback. We will cover diction, speed, projection, tone, emotion, microphone technique and so on.
Please bring a poem or two you would like to read to others, and practice them beforehand as much as you can. The better you know your poem, the better you can focus on the skills. However, this workshop will help even if you haven’t got time to do that.
Workshop attendees are invited to ‘give their poems’ at the Kangaroo Valley Show Poetry in the Paddock event on Saturday 18th February between 9.30-11.00am.
While the adults take the stage for the experience, children under 16 can sharpen their skills and be in the running for incredible prizes 1st: $100 2nd: $50 3rd: 2 x $25 with judging by fellow local poet and reigning show champion Alan Stone.
Buskers
Four sites around the Showground will be dedicated to Buskers who are offered a half-hour slot on Saturday from 10am-4pm. This is an open event with no age group divisions and welcomes individuals and groups and talent of all types. Money buckets will be provided so Buskers can gather their tips whilel they also compete for a prize pool of $1000. With limited slots available, those interested need to apply online.
First Time Canoe Events
As Kangaroo Valley has long been considered one of the best places to go canoeing in all of Australia it makes perfect sense to include it in the Show, doesn’t it? While the Showground is not accessible via the countless flowing rivers into the Valley, the challenge will see participants “portage” or carry their canoe on their shoulders in a race. In this inaugural event, a male and female race will deliver two winners who will be crowned KV Canoe Carry Champion and take a 1st prize of $1000, with 2nd: $300 3rd $150 and 4th $50.
To herald the first time canoe event on Saturday, Friday night will see the canoes rolled over to make way for a drumming workshop like no other! A colourful and creative Bang on a Boat demonstration performance will be followed by an invitation for participants of all ages to bring the bush to life with rhythm. These great first time events are thanks to Paddle & Portage Canoes, based in KV.
Other Events with Muscle
A Show wouldn’t be complete without the time-honoured events that challenge the strength of people living on the land. The Woodchop, Ironperson, Haystacking and then something for everyone the adults Tug O War.
Motors, Machines and Mills
Whether you are a motoring enthusiast or just someone who enjoys looking at well-maintained and well-loved cars, get up close with veteran to late model classic cars at the Show n’ Shine Classic Cars display.
Revisit days gone by with the traditional farm machinery, steam engines and more at the Antique Farm Machinery display and see a working mill in action with Wood Milling in The Paddock.
Gone to the Dogs
This year’s show has two special events for dog lovers; the favourite Dog High Jump Competition and Sheep dog trials with the Downunder Working Dogs.
The High Jump is open to anyone who feels their dog could jump the highest over an incrementally increased log wall, whereas the display by Downunder Working Dogs might help with their training.
Tony Mulvihill is a dog whisperer and has been breeding and training working dogs – kelpies, border collies, koolies and blends of all kind for more than thirty years. Much like philosophy’s learned from his horse whisperer mentors around the world, Tony’s unique philosophy is focussed on understanding and relating to dogs to help them discover and explore their natural herding instincts. No rakes, no yelling, no threats or aggression and the results speak for themselves.
Catch him in action in The Paddock at the Showground on Saturday.
Tent Talks
Interesting interviews and panel conversations will take place this year in a dedicated Tent near the KV Hall. Hosted by Frank Barker or Raine and Horne and Lawyer, Mediator and Therapist Gudula Dornseifer, the talks will cover a myriad of topics from politics to rock wallabies, poetry to property, recycling and the environment. There will be a cheesemaking demonstration and discussion around local produce.
Music
As the sun sets over the mountain, the Showground bar will be a chillout zone for drinks and music from Jeremy Butterworth (Friday) and Harrison Graham (Saturday).
On Friday evening, young adults under 17 yo and children under 12yo will have an exclusive party of their own at the Silent Disco tent with the latest DJ playlists to choose from.
Silent Disco
While some enjoy a cheese and wine tasting on Friday night thanks to Valley Cheesemakers, Flavours of Shoalhaven and Kangaroo Valley Fine Wines, others can dance the night away in our Silent Disco tent.
It looks like a disco, with mirror balls and flashing lights, but until you put on a set of wireless headphones, you won’t have a beat to dance to.
The history of the Silent Disco is relatively recent, the concept used by eco-activists in the early 1990s, using headphones at outdoor parties to minimize noise pollution and disturbance to the local wildlife. Perfect for our Show and Valley!
50 headsets will be available, included in the show ticket on Friday night from 6.30pm
Food and Market Stalls
All the food favourites of the Show will be well catered for along with a variety of cuisines from around the world, Mezze to Paella, Pizza and Pies, Gozleme and Dumplings, coffee, slushies, donuts and proffertjes and ice-creams.
Stroll through the market stall alley where local crafts and produce will be on display and for sale. An exceptional weekend in the Valley awaits at The Friendly Show.
