And so it begins: Mega March of entertainment

A week later, it will be followed by the highly anticipated return of the Play on the Plains Festival.

The annual Deniliquin Town garage sale will be held the same weekend, which coincides with the Victorian Labour Day long weekend.

And with Easter falling early in this year’s calendar, March will finish with a massive four days of family-friendly events and activities across the entire region.

Nestled in the weekends in between will be a few smaller local events, which will all take advantage of the milder autumn weather conditions.

The only regular event missing from the busy March schedule will be the Deniliquin Business Chamber’s Do It In Deni Street Bazaar, which is instead being planned for later in the year.

It would usually be held on the Victorian Labour Day weekend.

“Chamber did agonise over changing the date, but we felt there was so much on already,” chamber president Paula Rutter explained.

“We will be holding the Bazaar later in the year instead, and as a committee, we’re looking at other dates that would benefit locals and visitors to our region.

“We did not want to take away from other events already being held in March, and moving the date also gives us another opportunity to encourage visitors to our region to explore and support our local businesses.”

Mrs Rutter said the mix of March events, and their ability to draw people to Deniliquin, should bode well for the local economy.

She also encouraged locals to get out, show their support, and make it a strong period.

“We’re very excited for visitors to come in so we can showcase our community and our businesses,” Mrs Rutter said.

“We have some great events in the Deni Show and Play on the Plains, and Easter being a little earlier when the weather is hopefully kinder should help entice people out into the streets to shop.

Having such events in our backyard is amazing, and I encourage locals to get out and get their tickets, too.

“As for businesses, if your budget allows, I encourage you to stay open longer to take advantage of the crowds.

“This is also when our locals need to get out and support our local businesses, to make this March as vibrant and successful as it can be.”

As the opening event of ‘mega March’, this weekend’s Deniliquin Show offers a blend of traditional country show events and more modern, action-packed activities.

For the first time, the show will incorporate an amateur bull ride.

The Pastoral & Agricultural Society has partnered with Woodall Rodeo Promotions to put on the showcase, which will be the highlight event of the Friday night schedule.

The bull ride will begin at about 6pm, with gates opening for all the fun of the show from 3pm.

The show fun continues all day Saturday, where the key events in the evening will be the much-anticipated demolition derby and the famed fireworks display.

Other show attractions include horse events, livestock judging, poultry pavilion, yard dog trials, wool judging, shearing competitions, the traditional pavilion and giant pumpkin competition.

Known colloquially as the Tiny Tots, show judging for babies right up to teenagers is also a popular part of the show on Saturday, as will be the dog jump, dog show and petting zoo.

And, of course, there will be rides from the Showman’s Guild and other family-friendly games and attractions.

The Deniliquin Show will be held at the Memorial Park showgrounds.

A weekend pass is $20 for adults, $5 for children aged five to 18, and children under five get in free with an appropriate ticket holder.

A family package - for two adults and three children - is available for $40.

Tickets are available at My Shop or Deniliquin Jewellers before the show or at the gate.