Selwyn Spring Show set to put a spring in your step

New Zealand is rich in history when it comes to entertainment within our communities. And here in Selwyn, we have so much history that continues to come right to our very doorstep!

The Selwyn Spring Show is a fun and exciting event that brings the rural and urban communities together to put on an event that nobody wants to miss! Held at the Leeston Showgrounds every October, it’s a brilliant way to celebrate spring and the oncoming summer just round the corner. And what’s more, is it is a full-day event that friends and families can spend the entire day at. With gates usually opening at 7am and closing at 5pm, it is perfect for those who rise early and want to experience a full day of fun and adventures.

The Selwyn Spring Show was first held in 1870, put together and hosted by the volunteers of the Selwyn Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The original reasons behind the A&P show were to bring together the community spirit and to help the rural communities thrive, as are still the reasons to this day. Since then, it has provided locals and visitors, farmers, and towns folk, young and old with the chance to experience all the local baking and cooking the towns have to offer and a chance to exhibit livestock, hay balers and vintage machinery amongst many other fun activities.

We are so proud of our communities and associations that put in so much effort to throw together these events. And as times have developed, so too has the Ellesemere Springshow. Nowadays, you can expect to see anything from Selwyn’s Got Talent, to crafted trade sites, numerous food stalls, all amongst the more traditional agricultural sectors. It really is something that the whole family can get involved with.

With over 10,000 making their way through the grounds every time it is held, it doesn’t take long to realise why it is so popular. Live bands, pony rides for the kids, competitions for the kids and agricultural sports and livestock, you would be hard placed to feel bored in such an environment. 

The Selwyn Spring Show helps smaller businesses to draw attention to their hard work and bring in new business for them. It is exactly what our hard-working smaller businesses and traders need. There’s even an array of vintage machinery and cars on display for the motor enthusiasts among us and those with an interest in the history of farming mechanics.

And who can deny that the Grand Parade will have everyone on the tips of their seats trying to catch a glimpse of the stunning Clydesdale horses that will be paraded, or the vintage cars, or other fine livestock. It really is the highlight of the show!  

And if you really want to get in on the action, be sure to apply to have your best animals, baking or machinery entered into the competitions and be in it to win those best placed ribbons and trophies!

As our communities continue to grow, so too do our events. Every year, the Selwyn Spring Show continues to adjust to its urban counterparts and expanding audience with new activities and renewed energy.

“The best part of the show is how it pulls together the whole community to present the vast range of activities and businesses that make up our vibrant community”
-  David Birkett, Member of the A&P Committee

So, whether you are into good food, or want to check out the best livestock around, or perhaps have a keen interest in machinery and cars, the Selwyn Spring Show is something that should be blocked off in your calendar.