Kiama Show organisers were greeted with favourable weather conditions on Friday, as the community flocked to the long-running event.
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The 169th annual Kiama Show began on Friday at Kiama Showground.
The show schedule listed more than 1000 classes spread over the horse, cattle, woodchop, rodeo, Illawarra Youth Challenge, Pet Show and Pavilion sections.
Kiama Show Society president Michael Brennan said Kiama was “the oldest show on the coast”.
Mr Brennan said the exhibits had again been a strong point of the show.
“The Pavilion is really up there with any of the shows; it’s a great place to display the exhibitions.
“The cattle numbers were down, but the quality was excellent.”
He said the warm conditions were welcome after the “weather wasn’t too kind to us” at last year's show.
“The crowd numbers have been very good, up on last year, and there’s been people trickling through all day.
“Hopefully we’ll have more good weather tomorrow.”
Kiama Show Society also operated their own food stall, ‘Ye Worlde Pie Shoppe’ to help ensure the event’s viability.
“This year we decided to utilise the rugby union canteen and sell pies, sausage rolls, cold drinks and fruit at the show,” the Show Society’s sponsorship co-ordinator David Young said.
Any proceeds will go directly to the Show Society.
“The reason behind this is just another revenue stream for the Show Society,” Mr Young said.
“Each year it’s getting harder and harder as far as attracting sponsorship.
“We’re also so weather dependent on gate sales.
“It’s just trying to come up with other streams of income that can support us financially so we can continue to put Kiama on show.”
The two-day entertainment program includes the Lumberjack Show, ARD FMX stunt motorbikes, CWA cooking and John Garbriel gardening demonstrations, and the Alkazar Circus tent.
Friday's schedule also included the Illawarra Cattle Show, the Pet Show, Kiama Show Games and the rodeo also made a return to the Friday night.
The Kiama Showgirl Competition is the local stage for The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl Competition.
Participants in the 2017 Kiama competition were Taylor Reid, Andria Binkins and Stephanie Panecasio.
Kiama resident Ms Panecasio, 22, who recently completed a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies was announced as the 2017 winner on Friday evening. She works as a freelance journalist and runs a literacy program at a school in Kanahooka.
The show is due to continue on Saturday, with gates opening about 9am.
