Thousands of people have visited the Wanaka A&P Show with even more expected today.
A sheep shearing demonstration at the Wanaka A&P Show last year. Photo: Supplied/James Allan Photography
Less than two weeks ago, the show's future was hanging in the balance after Auckland moved into alert level 3 and the rest of the country shifted to level 2.
Show event manager Jane Stalker said there were more than 200 volunteers who worked countless hours to make this year's show a reality.
"It just feels amazing. There was a time where it nearly didn't go ahead and then we had the support from our trade exhibitors and our sponsors to start our set up, which is huge. It takes us about 10 days to set up and without their support, we couldn't have done this."
Previous years had brought in $10-$12 million to the local economy, she said.
"We kind of expected quite a big crowd but then again, it might not have happened so we're absolutely delighted that so many people have come."
She hoped today's show would draw a similarly strong crowd.
By 9am on Friday, people were piling into the grounds and some of the trade exhibits had queues.
Upper Clutha A&P Society board member Grant Ruddenklau said the show was a much-needed boost to the region's retailers, accommodation and restaurants.
"This will be their big weekend for the year and it's probably the biggest weekend they've had since the show last year. We were very very conscious of the effect that we create in the wider areas here and to be able to run the event as per as usual, we're hoping that the spinoffs for the wider area are immense," Ruddenklau said.
He was the society's president during last year's show - it was the A&P show to take place before lockdown last year.
"We were in a situation where we covered all the health requirements and that was really as close as it was to us down here at that stage," he said.
"It became more apparent on the Sunday after the event that the world stopped or New Zealand stopped. We got through by the skin of our teeth really."
This year was quite different with the close call as the levels changed.
"It's a huge event on the farming calendar and the fact of being in mid-March, it's well into the end of sheep and beef and dairy season.
"What our event has turned into its a significant get-together for the farming community to come and meet each other and also for the trades and the businesses that rely on the farming to socialise and wind down for the end of year," he said.
"After going through what the country has been through for 12 months and having a close call last week, I think it will a breath of fresh air for not only the wider Queenstown Lakes area, but for Southland, Otago and Canterbury farming community to just be able to come out, meet, socialise and just have a fantastic time in Wanaka."
The show had record entries in its wool section, the equestrian competition was at capacity and other sections also have strong numbers of entries, he said.
"With Covid, there's a lot of people who haven't had the opportunity to be out and about, exhibiting their stock. The equestrian section is huge, I guess with the Horse of the Year obviously being cancelled. This weekend we're probably one of the bigger horse events in the South Island at the moment."