IN PICTURES: 2024 Albany Agricultural Show celebrates 128 years of festivities with “excellent turnout”

Crowds flocked in their thousands to the Centennial Park precinct over the weekend for the 128th year of the Albany Agricultural Show. Over Friday and Saturday, there was something for everyone, with adrenaline junkies hopping on the rides at Sideshow Alley, prospective customers learning about the local industry in the trade pavilion, and art lovers enjoying live music and entertainment. Those with a competitive spirit also had their moment in the spotlight with art, cooking, horticulture, craft and animal showing events. Winner of the Livestock Parading nippers competition Charlotte Bennett received the honour of lighting the fireworks on Friday evening. The nine-year-old said she was “very excited” to stand in front of the crowd and set off the display, feeling like she had earned it after a challenging competition with her cow Willow. “It was really hard leading her, because she missed her friend back here and really wanted to go back,” she said. “It was quite challenging but I feel like halfway she calmed down because I was talking to her like I was taught to do. “Now I get to do the fireworks, which is really cool.” Albany Agricultural Society president Rob Wright said he was “very pleased” to see the show come together smoothly, estimating around 18,000 patrons attended over the two days. “It was wonderful, absolutely terrific,” he said. “We don’t know exact numbers yet, but it was an excellent turnout as far as patrons were concerned, and we’ve had such magnificent feedback from them. “The new layout and format worked really well and people could move around really smoothly — I said to my team afterwards that if we can duplicate what we did this year next year, we’ll be doing really well. “Overall, it was a really superb show.” Mr Wright estimates Sideshow Alley had its biggest year yet thanks to additional rides, and said the inclusion of big trade exhibitors and an indoor kids’ play area in one of the sports pavilions helped things run even more smoothly.