Monday 6 October 2014

Annual show

Life, as typical in school holidays, hasn't given me much time to spend in the sewing room.  But we did take our family to the local show in the next town.  I always love to see how other countries do their local show/fair, so I thought I'd share some photos with you.

These are only from inside the show hall.  I didn't take photos of the rides, or the food stalls - perhaps next year.

Our shows in Australia are struggling, as the towns struggle.  Lack of volunteers is always a big thing, and as cities get closer by car, the smaller towns seem to lose people each weekend to various sporting and social events.  Let's face it, we are all busier now.

Our town's show has closed now.  There weren't enough volunteers to help run it, and there weren't that many people who visited.  But as one door opens, another closes, or so the saying goes.  And the town's show next to us seems to be thriving. 

The displays/competitions are split much the same as other countries.  There are floral exhibits, cooking exhibits, craft exhibits.  I didn't take photos of the food or produce section, but I hope you're happy with the following.



Loved this idea.  So simple!  We are about to celebrate our Rose Week so we may use this somewhere around the place.




So many lovely floral displays.


And then bizarrely, in a small, small town - they had enough bonsai enthusiasts to warrant a whole section!


I adore, adore bonsai.  I wish I was a gardener, I really do.  I bought a bonsai plant once but it died.  Of course it did, I can't garden for nuts.



This one above was an olive tree.  An Olive Tree.  Just amazing.





And then, we have orchids.  Oh My God were there orchids.  I think there is a fairly large orchid society around here, and their display was amazing.  Ah. May. Zing.






And cakes.  How lovely is this rose one?



And here is a quilt, that one first prize.  It's a very nice quilt, made even nicer because my Mum quilted it for the owner!  I rang her and told her she'd won first prize with a quilt she didn't even enter.  It was deserving of first prize, the lady who made it did a stellar job.



And even in small old country SA, there was a Bonnie Quilt.







Divinely made cross stitch picture.  This is a famous piece of Australian Art work called Pioneer by one of our major artists, Frederick McCubbin.  Beautifully painted picture, beautifully stitched cross stitch.

And there you have it.  Just a little country show but it was lovely.  An afternoon well spent.

Hope your weekend has been a quilty one.

Suzie

4 comments:

  1. Very nice display of the handwork and quilting. Certainly better than the display at our San Diego County Fair. I wish the pride was here in our area for these projects. We could use some help here in California.

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    1. Hi Lauretta.. Thanks for posting. It's a shame when things like this die out, I agree. I'm not sure what the answer is. I guess the only constant is change, as the saying goes.

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  2. Looks very similar to the NZ A&P shows... but what's with the chicken mesh screening??? we have the same thing and it's so bizarre!

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    1. I know! I don't know why some sections do that. I'd pinch an orchid or a bonsai tree before I'd pinch the knitting or fruit cake!

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