SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - An extensive cheese and wine section and large sport festival are two new main highlights at this year's Outeniqua Agricultural Show from 27 to 29 August.
"Cheese and wine being agricultural products, this new offering to show-goers ties in superbly with the agricultural component and we are aiming to attract over 60 exhibitors for this new section. We are extremely excited and believe this addition will attract even more feet," says Susan Willemse, media liaison officer for the show committee. "There will be wine tastings, demonstrations and an area where people can sit and relax."
Attendance figures are also expected to receive a boost with the unprecedented involvement from sport clubs with 14 sport federations from the Eden Sport Council having committed to be part of the weekend-long sport festival. It will include official competitions in darts, dominoes, power-lifting and tug-of-war at a large sport arena, while the road cycling federation will hold a qualifying event for the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
Other sports to be represented include sailing, equestrian sport, fly-fishing, netball, bowls, karate and yoke-pin. Sport-related commercial exhibitions will be a further draw card for sport enthusiasts.
To accommodate these expansions, the show ground will look a bit different this year with huge tents being brought in to provide a roofed sport arena of 2 500m² and the cheese and wine section of 1 200m².
"The food stalls are already booked out and a huge selection of commercial stalls is expected. A proper steakhouse will be run by local steak masters Texas Grill from the show boardroom that has a lovely patio and braai area. There will be seating inside and out and it promises to be a winner," says Susan.
The Youth Show, which will incorporate the regional Youth Show that has always been part of the Herold Show, promises to have much more with a day-long programme on Thursday featuring the Dias Museum from Mossel Bay, a science exhibition as well as a programme organised by Blanco Primary School. There will be demonstrations with the milking machine, of sheep shearing and the processing of carcasses.
Drum majorettes from Pacaltsdorp will also perform and the usual merry-go-round will keep the young ones entertained.
A full-day training programme for emerging farmers presented by the Outeniqua Research Farm is a new item on the agricultural programme.
Large numbers of livestock are expected, including dairy and beef-cattle breeds, an expanded sheep section, poultry section and the horse championships.
Women's Day programme
Part of the Women's Day programme will be an interior decorating exhibition showcasing the latest decor trends. The lovely Alette Winkler, wife of well-known South African singer Heinz Winkler, is the main speaker. New to the home industries exhibition are cake decorating and flower arranging demonstrations for all interested to learn how the experts do it and the exhibition of the local woodworkers association will showcase some of their finest handwork.
Entertainment
In the entertainment tent, Afrikaans pop punk group Glaskas will be on stage on the Friday night and on Saturday, the crowd can enjoy performances by Desmond Welsh, Gerhard Steyn, and Ané.
Entries for the Miss Outeniqua Show 2015 have opened and entry forms are available from the show office. The annual show dance and crowning will be a glamorous evening in the George Civic Centre on Saturday 22 August.
ARTICLE: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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