HOW nice it was to see the return of a great community event last week – the Mount Gambier Show.
Clearly, the people of Mount Gambier were keen for the return of a major event as I was, as it was incredibly busy. I’m told around 12,000 people visited over the two days – how amazing.
To all the people who took the time to stop by our booth to say hi and have a chat - Travis, Bailey and I enjoyed talking with you all.
For the past 20 months, the event sector has really suffered from the effects of the pandemic, with cancellations and restrictions making it difficult to put on an event of any size, let alone one which generally gets 10,000 people.
Country shows not only generate an economic boost, but they also attract visitors, support employment opportunities and are a showcase for regional areas.
They’re a truly unique experience. I mean, where else can you watch lawn mower racing with a Dagwood dog, see a champion cow and let your kids loose on the Kamakaze ride, all in the one day?
To see an event of this size return, it builds community confidence in the lead-up towards the holiday season that a return to a kind of normal.
For an event to be running for one hundred and sixty years is truly something to be celebrated.
A big congratulations to the hard-working event team, including Danielle Tulak and Tammy Flier, who probably had many sleepless nights in the lead-up to this event but rallied and put on an incredible show for the community.
The success of this event can give some confidence to other event organisers that it can be done, even with restrictions.
To each person who booked their tickets and supported this event – thank you.
Troy Bell MP,
Member for Mount Gambier