THIS year's Newcastle Show was launched amid a whirl of colour and movement at The Station yesterday, with the opening just a fortnight away on Friday, March 6.
The launch attracted a small sea of onlookers, including posses of mothers and grandmothers juggling babies and toddlers.
The carnival atmosphere included a jumping castle, a cup and saucer ride, fairy floss, helium balloons and a flock of bicycle-riding ducks to keep everyone entertained.
After years of struggling as an institution, the show has entered a new phase of growth and change under general manager Gabe Robinson, who explained yesterday that he was two years into a four-year plan to revitalise the event and to attract a new and younger audience.
READ MORE:The 2019 Newcastle Show, words and pictures
One aspect of the overhaul has been an annual "golden ticket", offering the winner free family entry for life for cracking a progressive series of riddles promoted on social media.
Eight entrants whispered their answer into the ear of an organiser at yesterday's launch.
Seven had cracked the code.
After a Newcastle-themed trivia quiz playoff, the inaugural golden ticket was handed to the appropriately named Chloe Winner, of Floraville, who said her nine-year-old daughter, Olivia, would be thrilled.
"The Show - Newcastle and Hunter" - to give it its official branding - has been run since 1902 by the Newcastle Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Association.
A rejuvenated show board, led by Newcastle solicitor Peter Evans, has worked hard to promote the show and to ensure a local voice in the NSW government's plans for the Broadmeadow sporting precinct. Vigneron Brian McGuigan is a recent addition to the board, which hired Robinson to run the organisation.
"I'm 36, and I suppose I'm perceived as a young person to be the secretary of a show association," Mr Robinson said.
"The older generation already knows the show is on.
"This is about using next-generation concepts and new ideas to grab a new audience and make new connections to help keep a 120-year-old show going for another 120 years."
Robinson is a confident live-wire of a manager.
Mr Evans and other board members including vice-presidents Graham Poole and Daniel Wallace say Robinson's enthusiasm - and his ability to encourage a similar enthusiasm in others - has been key to bringing a raft of new and important sponsors on board.
The University of Newcastle is behind a robotics workshop with drones and other new-age inventions, while Mr Wallace says nursery group Lee Rowan's are providing big horticultural displays.
Show organisers have had some battles over the years with the Showmens Guild, whose members provide the rides and sideshow alley attractions that are part and parcel of any show.
Mr Wallace said this year's negotiations had gone well.
This year's message of "50 free things to do at the show" was not a shot at the guild, but an idea to try to lift attendance by emphasising the range of attractions and exhibitions on display - many of which related to the show's "agricultural, horticultural and industrial roots".
He said there was no immediate push to reopen the Show Holiday controversy, but the more successful the revived show became, the greater the argument to have the opening Friday gazetted a public holiday.
The show is on March 6, 7 and 8 at Newcastle Showground.
