Registrations open for Agricultural Shows Australia's conference to be held in SA

The two and a half day program which concludes on September 1- the eve of the 2023 Royal Adelaide Show aims to help educate and inspire the many volunteers or paid staff involved in the nearly 600 country shows held across Australia.

The theme is Showing Into the Future and includes a conference being held at the Hilton Adelaide, a gala dinner and workshop on the final day for show executives and emerging leaders.

The first national conference was held on the Gold Coast in Qld in 2019 but the Adelaide event which was due to be held in 2021 has been delayed a couple of times due to COVID uncertainty.

Conference committee chairperson Caitlin Marshall said the event - which is being organised by the SA Next Gen Group in conjunction with ASA, Royal Agricultural &Horticultural Society of SA and Ag Societies Council of SA- was coming together well.

She said there were a great line-up of speakers including the IAFA chief executive Marla Calico and Jennifer Giesike the president of Washington Town and Country Fair, United States.

"I have already had a fair few people contact me from interstate, we are hoping for 200 people," she said.

Ms Marshall is really looking forward to bring together the show community from across Australia and helping nurture the future of country shows across Australia which annually contribute more than $965m to the economy.

"We have come through a pretty difficult time with many shows all around the country cancelled during COVID so it is a chance to talk about how we move forward and really get shows back on their feet," she said.

"There is no point reinventing the wheel, it is a chance to bring together the best new ideas which may work at other shows and encourage collaboration."

SA Country Shows president Rosie Schultz is excited about SA hosting the event and hopes attendees will be able to take away ideas to strengthen their own shows.

"It gives SA the chance to showcase not only all the great things we are doing here but will bring people to the Royal (Adelaide Show) that may not have come before," she said.

"As far as country shows go it gives the country show community the opportunity to network and see what else is out there in the market in entertainment, competitions and other areas.

"For financial reasons people may not be able to go to the conferences interstate by the time they pay accommodation and airfares so hopefully they take the opportunity to support it in their own state- even if they come away with one or two things it will be well worth it."

Early bird discount tickets are available until May 31.