The Henty Machinery Field Days may rollover to March 15-17, 2022, organisers say
The Henty Machinery Field Days Board has announced that the 2021 event, due to be held on September 21–23, will not proceed this year due to COVID-19 but is investigating the option of rescheduling to March 2022.
The Henty Machinery Field Days is the nation’s largest field days and outdoor agricultural event, with an economic value of more than $92 million.
Henty Machinery Field Days chief executive officer Belinda Anderson says the decision to look into rescheduling was based on the recommendation from NSW Health around the possibility of the virus being transmitted into regional areas.
Hundreds of new COVID cases are currently being detected each day in NSW.
“HMFD has been advised that we are able to operate under the four square metre rule [no more than one person within four square metres of floor space]. However, NSW Health has strongly recommended the event be rescheduled,” says Anderson.
“We also have considered the possibility of introducing the Delta strain of COVID-19 to the area and the impact this would have on our community. This was a risk we were not prepared to take.”
Anderson says border restrictions had also played a significant part in the decision to cancel the September event, with 50 per cent of exhibitors booked in from interstate.
“Six weeks from the event seems like a long time but an event of this size does not happen overnight and we owe it to those businesses committed to the 2021 event to give them fair warning.
“The majority of visitors come from within a three-hour drive of Henty signifying there is a great representation from Victoria.
“Snap lockdowns will still be possible in September and HMFD cannot risk a repeat of what was seen in Victoria and Queensland on the eve of major agricultural events.
“HMFD management is investigating the option of rescheduling the field days to March 15–17, 2022, and will be contacting exhibitors and key stakeholders regarding this option.”
Anderson appealed to exhibitors to be patient as management determines options for refunds or the rollover of fees to the 2022 event.
This announcement comes soon after the cancellation of the Elmore & District Machinery Field Days, which was to take place in October, due to ongoing interstate and international border restrictions impacting exhibitors’ ability to attend.
Elmore Field Days Committee president Scott Nichol says that “whilst the Elmore Field Days Committee is disappointed to have to make this decision, our committees main concern and deciding factor is the public safety of our community, volunteers, exhibitors and attendees”.
“We hope that everyone continues to stay safe and well. We plan to be back bigger and better on 4th, 5th and 6th October 2022.”