Royal Launceston Show makes long-awaited debut at Carrick after hiatus

Since 2019, the three-day affair underwent a hiatus, initially brought on by dwindling numbers, then extended by the onset and lingering effects of COVID-19.

But the event - marked by a public holiday on Thursday - is back and set to take place in its new home at Quercus Park.

Show Society president Dale Beams said he was hopeful the 20-minute drive out to Carrick wouldn't get in the way of reaching his ideal attendance figures of 7000 punters per day. But he is still regretting not organising bus services prior to the event.

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However, he felt locals could come out in force due to possibly being deprived of the show for several years.

"It's always hard to tell, some people might not want to travel, while others could be looking for an excuse to come out of town," he said.

"What I can say for certain is that it's always a fun day."

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Mr Beams said the show would host most of its usual attractions, split evenly between farm animals, thrilling rides, live entertainment, local stalls, and a range agricultural life and machinery.

Showbags.com state manager Greg Anderson said - although the event had "slipped to about fifth spot in terms of revenue" compared to other shows the company worked at across Tasmania - its previous edition was their most successful in memory.

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"Hopefully they can build off that, especially at their new home, which I know they all worked so hard to find and secure," he said.

"We'll certainly play our part, as we know based on statistics that about 90 per cent of the people who walk through the gates at any show we're at usually end up leaving with a show bag."

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Showmen's Guild of Tasmania president Debbie Welch said sideshow alley would be a popular section of the event's 149^th edition, as it had been in previous years.

Councillor for Cottage industries at the show, Dawn Blackwell, said a variety of crafts and decorative foods would be on display inside the Rural Youth Conference Centre and voted on by expert judges. She also said scarecrows made by local schools would be on show.

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