ARE you looking for a day of family fun?
Then make sure you head to this year’s Make Smoking History Williams Gateway Expo on Saturday, April 14.
Since its inception 19 years ago, the Williams Gateway Expo has grown and evolved into a relaxing, informative and entertaining family event.
The expo, which has a focus on fun for the whole family, will open at 10am and run until 10pm.
The community event started as a much-needed autumn sheep show and has developed into a great family event for local and regional communities.
This year the Make Smoking History Williams Gateway Expo has again received generous funding from Lotterywest, Healthway, Government of Western Australia’s Road Safety Community grants program, Milne Feeds, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Farm Weekly and many other regional and local sponsors, which enables the organising committee to maintain entry to the event as a gold coin donation.
Sheep and wool production has been the back bone of the Williams community since its establishment and again the expo this year will have a real focus on this, as it follows the wool from the sheep’s back to the fashion runway.
After the success of the fashion parade at the past three events, it will once again be a highlight and the committee see it as a great way to showcase the sheep and wool story.
The clothing in the parade is from local business the Williams Woolshed, which makes it a great opportunity to see a range of wool-based fashions which are affordable and sold locally.
Three parades will be held during the day at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm and local models will feature in the parade, making it a truly local affair.
In the ram shed there will be a great display of some of the State’s best genetics, which shows where the story starts.
In the ram shed exhibitors will have the chance to win one of two Honda motorbikes in breeder’s group classes for two rams and two ewes thanks to Farm Weekly sponsorship.
One motorbike will be up for grabs in the Merino section and the other in the British and Australasian section, where one team from each breed will compete.
The Farm Weekly Expo Shears will tell another story of the wool industry and complement the sheep show and fashion parade.
This year the humming of the shearing plant and the action of shearing will be in the expo’s four-stand transportable shearing shed purchased by the expo committee at the end of 2016.
There will be five divisions in the competition including novice, under 21, intermediate, senior and open.
A special prize of a hand piece donated by Williams Rural Supplies will offer the young guns an extra incentive to enter the under 21 section.
The action in the open section is sure to be fast and furious as it will allow shearers to gain points towards qualification for State selection.
The competition starts at 8.30am with the novice event being held about 12noon.
For children and the young at heart, free entertainment includes Zap Circus workshops and a fire performance in the evening, Punch and Judy, the Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Zoo and WestOz Wildlife plus remote controlled trucks, Awesome balloons and face painting.
But it doesn’t end there – children can also have fun at the Inflatable Obstacle Course, and Mad Cow activities including Suma suits, wrecking ball, gladiator dual, bucking cow and more.
For those with slightly more refined tastes, there will be a gourmet food and wine marquee, where you will be able to tantalise your taste buds with wine, cheese, olive oils and other yummy preserves.
There will also be a great variety of food stalls ensuring something for everyone’s food cravings during the day plus nearly 50 other stalls to browse.
A fitness display will also take place for those seeking to engage in creating a fit body.
Art lovers can appreciate an array of art from local and regional artists, with the art being displayed at Millbrook on Albany Highway.
As part of this visitors will be able to take part in the people’s choice and nominate which they think is the best art piece.
The exhibition will be opened on Friday, April 13, at 6.30pm with the preview and art enthusiasts will have an opportunity to purchase the art on the night.
The art will be available for viewing until Sunday, April 22.
The photography competition is also on again and entries will be displayed in the pavilion and images will be based around a variety of topics.
The popular Things with Wheels display will be on again, with cars from local enthusiasts on display, so why not inspect the beautiful vehicles from the past times through to today?
Country music by Campfire Country will be played from noon to 4pm, with a blend of Australian and American country music.
The finale for the day will be the fireworks display from 7pm.
Following the fireworks, the entertainment will continue for the young at heart with music by Tom O’Brien to culminate another Make Smoking History Williams Gateway Expo.
