The show must go on

The show also boasts extensive sideshows and activities, with pony rides, mini golf, petting zoos and fireworks displays, as well as competitions such as photography and baking.

Echuca Moama & Districts Agricultural Show Society works with school children in the area to brainstorm ideas for sideshows and provide feedback for what they would like to see at the show.

The students also participate by producing promotional posters for the show.

Echuca Moama & Districts Agricultural Show Society president Allan Mathers said they did their best to try and keep everything free after attendees paid their gate fee, but that might be challenging after the past two years of not being able to fundraise.

“We usually pride ourselves by keeping the gate price down — so once parents have paid their gate fees they don't have to put their hand in their pocket for the sideshows,” Allan said.

The society has received grants from the Federal Government that will be used to secure the iconic staples of the show, like the pony rides and fireworks, and hopes to hold fundraisers ahead of the show to mitigate expenses.

Allan said the society was looking for volunteers to man the gates, and vendors and businesses to set up stalls at the event.

The Echuca Moama Show has been held about 144 times since records began in 1876.

Allan hopes to see the show run for another 100 years to come

“A lot of people seem to think I was there for the first one ‒ but I wasn’t!”