Ag Show draws smaller crowd

It’s an event that has come to be as predictable as the rising and setting of the sun. But every year thousands of people still go, hoping against hope that the agricultural fair will not be hot, will not be dusty and will actually serve beer that is cold. Patrick Jones spent last weekend in Belmopan and files the following report.

For the twenty seventh time, since the show was moved from San Ignacio, the people who work the soil day in and day out, took a couple of days to show the rest of the country the fruits of their labor. It’s the annual assessment of the country’s agriculture sector, but while the farmers were showing off their proud accomplishments in the field, thousands of people who thronged the Show Grounds on Saturday and Sunday found other things to see… and do.

Small businesses were big business at this year’s show and the companies, both large and small, provided bargain hunters with ’nuff goodies to make the trip to the Show Grounds worth the while. Not least among them was Channel Five’s very own Chief Engineer.

Security was as plentiful as the free samples… as was most everything else – majority of which had very little to do with agriculture or trade.

From the lone sentinels to fast cars everyone was running or walking around in circles. At the end of the day, however, organizers say the objectives of the weekend’s activity were met, despite attendance being significantly below last year’s total.

So back to the farms they go, until this same time next year, when once again, sheep, goats, cows, horses, pigs, people… and everything else that moves on its own will once again occupy the grassy plot of land sandwiched between Roaring Creek and Belmopan, for another show, some agriculture, some trade and lots of fair. Patrick Jones, for News Five.