Main street property owners have agreed for their vacant premises to be transformed into a Show Pavilion for 2020. Show Society members Kylie Parry and Henry Moxham with some of the community bunting they will use with the displays.
WITH an actual Show off the table, long-time Show Society volunteers Kylie Parry and Amanda Colwell felt that something needed to be done in 2020 to continue to celebrate the talents and showcase the handiwork of the district’s residents.
Mrs Parry came up with the idea of a Main Street Show – a project to transform the empty shopfronts in Coonamble’s main street into the Show Pavilion albeit behind glass.
“We’re calling it #coonambleshownotshow2020,” Mrs Parry said.
“It’s the Show you have when you can’t have a Show.”
“We’ll be celebrating the talent of our locals – in a socially distant manner.”
“In these times we need to find ways to stay connected, now more than ever,” she said.
With the backing of building owners, fellow Show Society committee members and Coonamble Chamber of Commerce, the pair have now concocted a “mini” Show schedule so that local residents can enter their produce and creations.
“While we can’t have the cooking, cut fresh flowers or other perishable categories as the Show Not show will run for three weeks up to the 19th June,” Mrs Colwell said. “But there’s still plenty of options among these traditional pavilion sections for people to try. We’ve hoped to provide something for everyone to enter, and will definitely do our best to create an exciting exhibition for viewers”.
“We contacted the schools and found out the students had already produced their Show art so they were very excited that they’d now be able to show everyone what they’ve done,” Mrs Parry said.
“Of course we’ll have to make sure that we follow the guidelines to meet any COVID-19 restrictions but we’re hoping it will give people a reason to get out and about.”
“We want people to take the opportunity to stroll around the main street and support our local businesses who are still open during this time,” she said.
“We’re hoping people will bring out the things they’ve made during lockdown or that they’ll check out the sections in the schedule and make something with their kids” she said.
“There’ll be adult and junior classes, and we’ve brought back the scarecrows in a special “family” section.
“We want to have the official launch on the same day we would have had our Show Holiday on 27 May,” Mrs Parry said.
“So it’s all going to happen pretty quickly.”
The schedule is already available on the Show Society’s website www.coonambleshow.com and their facebook page.
Entries can be taken to Castlereagh Electrical from 13 to 22 May in the mornings before 12 noon.
Entries on display in the main street shops will mostly be judged by popular vote, with residents picking up a trail map and voting form from local businesses and using their exercise time to stroll through the Show Not Show.
“Please stay in family groups or with a couple of friends, or whatever the health regulations permit at the time (sorry to butt in on your quote Kylie… just thought this could cover all eventualities in case we are all under quarantine again)” Mrs Parry said. “We need to keep each other safe while we get out and enjoy what people have created.”
The Show Society’s community bunting will be brought out to set the festive tone and main street shop owners are being asked to join in the Show spirit by decorating their premises or offering special Show-like products.
There are even whispers of a traditional car boot picnic to celebrate the #coonambleshownotshow2020 opening.