Royal Launceston Show Society president Jock Gibson said the one-day event would be “jam-packed” to make up for the loss of the traditional three-day Royal Launceston Show.

“I urge the public to support this event to both retain the public holiday and ensure our ability to bring the country to the city remains in the future,” he said.

Mr Gibson said opportunities still existed for stallholders and trade exhibits for the one-day event. The Launceston Show has been running for 144 years and has a rich history.  It is the only show to be run under the banner of the Royal shows that takes place outside a capital city.

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The Royal Launceston Show also hosted the Federal Council of Agricultural Societies national competition in 2017 for the first time.

However, crowd numbers and ticket sales have been dropping in recent years.

After looking to City of Launceston Council in December 2017 for more financial support and running a campaign via National Trust to save its “heritage” value, the show society had not locked the event. A report prepared for the Royal National Agricultural & Pastoral Society of Tasmania and City of Launceston council by Makris Skringar & Associates found Chickenfeed’s collapse in 2012 stripped one-third of ticket sales from pre-event earnings.

Mr Gibson said the one-day event would still have all the traditional show offerings and will end with a fireworks display at 9pm.

Devonport Show Society revealed this week it would not forge ahead with plans to host a one-day event, called FarmFest, after the Devonport Show was axed in 2017.

The Devonport Show Society cited lack of volunteers as the main reason behind cancelling the FarmFest event.

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