It was the perfect recipe to create a successful Royal Launceston Show.

The Launceston Show has a proud history of bringing the country to the city, as many fine agricultural shows do, and Thursday’s iteration was no different.

This year, the show was under a cloud of uncertainty, with the added element of watching the Devonport Show be axed, replaced with another event, FarmFest, which in turn was also axed due to lack of support.

However, the show society stood firm and renegotiated the terms of the show, which saw the traditional three-day event knocked down to just one action packed day.

The crowds floating through the gates on Thursday was a fantastic sight to see, with thousands pouring through the gates at Inveresk.

The numbers are expected to be finalised next week but show society president Jock Gibson hailed the one-day event a success.

While good weather can also lend a hand to people’s willingness to support events, credit has to be given where credit is due. 

The Launceston Show Society weathered the past few events through tough times and low numbers, with small volunteer committees and low attendance nearly forcing the event to fold.

However, it persevered and put on a great event for 2018 that was an exemplar of Launceston’s community spirit and character.

It listened to its community and changed the format of the show to cater to its new audience.

With a more compact surface area and lower admission prices, it helped to secure its future.

The changes have paid off, the evidence is in the numbers.

Launceston and Northern Tasmania’s community clearly value the event, so it will be interesting to see what the future of the Royal Launceston Show is beyond 2018.

A review of this year’s events and analysis around previous events are needed, but community support is a vital ingredient.