Albany Agricultural Show 2023: Craftability and Lego set to highlight creative craft section

A burst of creativity is set to fill the Western Pavilion at Albany Agricultural Show on November 10 when the creative craft pavilion opens its doors to the public.

The popular section has been going for more than 20 years and will this year pay tribute to Bella Swainston, a valued member of Albany Agricultural Society Council who generously volunteered her time to run the craft and cookery section over 20 years.

Exhibitors will be able to enter memorial classes where they can create articles in their chosen categories around the theme of roses.

This year’s categories range from the well-established — including embroidery, porcelain painting, hand-spinning, crocheting, knitting, hand crafts, patchwork, lace making, and weaving – to the newer categories of dolls and toys, dressmaking and textiles, junior craft, Lego and Craftability.

As a former disability support worker herself, Creative Craft councillor Bronte Wilkes is particularly looking forward to the new Craftability category for people with disability.

“We found last year that quite a few people who have disabilities entered but they got overlooked and we wanted to give them their own category this year so it’s fairer,” she said.

“It would be really good if we could get support workers to get their clients to put something in.”

She also said the lego and crochet making exhibits were set to be highlights with last year’s show seeing lots of entries filling up the tables.

Prize money is up for grabs in each of the 190 classes with $5 for a first certificate, $3 for a second, and $1 for a third and each category has three main prizes (best overall, runner-up best overall, and most points) with cash prizes ranging from $25 to $100.

Exhibitors will also have the chance to vie for four trophies:

• The Muriel Haines Memorial Cup for most outstanding lace-making exhibit
• The Nell Watkins Perpetual Trophy for most points hand spinning
• The Spring Haven Trophy for best hand-spinning exhibit
• The Glenice Flett Shield for most points over the craft and cookery sections

Entries close Monday, November 6, at 4pm and must be submitted online.