Fieldays has returned to Mystery Creek after a 17-month hiatus and the gates will open on November 30 after an official opening at 6am with apōwhiri and the raising of the National Fieldays Society and New Zealand flags.
The flag raising will be followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the society’s president, James Allen, and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.
Making the change from June to November after the regular winter event was postponed in an attempt to avoid the worst effects of the covid-19 pandemic was a difficult decision for Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation.
“We’re still expecting big numbers this year as people look for ways in which they can get off the farm or have a family day out,” he said.
More than 1000 exhibitors will cover the Mystery Creek site, ready to show off their products and services, with the usual Fieldays deals being available in time for Christmas.
The theme “Same, Same but Different” celebrates the event’s significance to the rural sector and the farming calendar while acknowledging that it is being held at a different time of the year.
The event features all the crowd favourites along with some innovative changes. One of the big new drawcards is the Fieldays Forestry Hub. The dedicated hub will allow visitors to explore the many facets of the forestry and wood-processing sector, including its role in mitigating climate change.
Joining the Fieldays Forestry Hub is the refreshed Education Hub, dubbed “Opportunity Grows Here”. The joint initiative between Fieldays and the Ministry for Primary Industries showcases the depth of NZ’s thriving food and fibre sector.
Food innovation will also take centre stage when a line-up of renowned celebrity chefs showcases the connection between food and NZ’s primary industries, debuting online to coincide with the start of Fieldays.
The classic excavator and fencing competitions are back, with the chance for competitors to win prizes and bragging rights until June 2023, when the next Fieldays event is scheduled.
This year the crowd-favourite tractor competitions will see a Fieldays first, when visitors are invited to participate in the Fieldays AgDrive Tractor Racing Experience.
Sitting alongside an AgDrive instructor, visitors will be put through their paces in modified tractor races, trying to beat the clock with all proceeds from the entry fee going to the Rural Support Trust.
“The work that Rural Support Trust does is invaluable. They’re saving lives and we’re so proud of the work they do for agricultural communities across New Zealand,” Nation said.
“We’re excited to see how much we can raise for their work while also giving people the opportunity to put their own tractor driving skills to the test.”
Fieldays 2022 takes place at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, from November 30 to December 3.