Agricultural Shows Australia Conference

Day One Key Take Outs

Author: Linda Tillman  

Reimagining an icon! What a perfect theme for the 2025 Agricultural Shows Australia Conference that was held on the Gold Coast recently and attended by over 200 Ag Show and Field Day volunteers and representatives from across the country (and the world!).  

Day one of the conference started with an interactive activity to hear from the audience, which was very insightful in terms of the current situation of Ag Shows and really reinforced why the theme ‘Reimagining an Icon’ was so appropriate. Copies of the response of delegates are displayed below.  

I had the pleasure to present on one of my favourite topics ‘Creating unforgetting show experiences’ where I shared with the delegates the concept of experience design and encouraged them to think about their Ag Show as an experience.

We unpacked inspirational case studies and looked at practical ways to ensure that Ag Shows remain relevant into the future.

During my presentation, I asked delegates to share the top trends and challenges impacting their Ag Show.

As you can see by the results displayed on the right, they are facing similar challenges to event organisers throughout the country.

 The actionable takeaways from this presentation include:

1.      Set your direction and stay focused ​

2.      Know your ideal attendees and design experiences for them!​

3.      Gather feedback regularly and undertake continual improvement​

4.      Create your own version of the 15% rule​

5.      Determine your purple cow (Read Seth Godin’s book for inspiration) ​

6.      Enhance efficiencies so you have more time to invest in experience design

A highlight for me was listening to Ray from Indiana State Fair (USA) share the story (and learnings) of the 165-year-old Fair. Below are some of the key takeaways from this fabulous presentation.

1.      Have a common purpose that helps guide decision making

2.      Consider having a theme each year, which can help keep things fresh

3.      Tell your story!

4.      Ag is important and it’s still relevant. We are the connectors.

5.      Stay true to who you are. Don’t stray from your roots.

6.      Don’t be afraid to try new things and create unique experiences. You must keep the event fresh.

7.      Engage your community and make sure you are representing the people.

Photo Credit: Agricultural Shows Australia

The day was packed with fabulous speakers and plenty of networking. Below are a few other key take outs worth sharing from day one.

 1.      Insurance cover for your event should only ever be your BACK UP plan – risk management is your first defence against claims.

2.      Cyber liability is a very important consideration for events when considering risk management. Make sure you educate all stakeholders on cyber security.

3.      Do you have the ‘blue tick’ on your Facebook page? This indicates to your audience that your Page is legitimate and trustworthy.

4.      Have policies and procedures in place for handling committee disputes

5.      Embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve efficiencies in event planning. Create your own GPT (your very own robot!) https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8554397-creating-a-gpt

As always, I am blown away by the incredible lessons you can take away from conferences and the talent and dedication of people working in the event space. Networking and learning from others provides you with the support and motivation you need to elevate your event to the next level. Thank you, Agricultural Shows Australia, for inviting me to be part of your event.

If you are interested in furthering your event management skills, join one of our practical and up-to-date programs designed specifically for regional event organisers. Our signature program runs twice a year, and will provide tangible benefits for your team.