Wandin Silvan Field Days opens after pandemic hiatus

Traders were out in droves for the Wandin Silvan Field Days. Picture: CALLUM LUDWIG

By Callum Ludwig

The clouds disappeared for the first day back of Wandin Silvan Field Days after a two year hiatus from the pandemic.

Despite heavy rains on Thursday 13 October leaving the ground a bit soft and muddy underfoot, the weather held off for the first morning of the two-day event.

Vice President of the Wandin Silvan Field Days Committee Casey Kosterman said it was great to be back with a good turnout of spectators and trade stores.

“The weather has been in our favour today, so there is a bit of excitement and buzz in the air, everyone’s really keen to get back out there and start promoting their equipment and their services,” he said.

“It was a lot of work putting the event together, getting people back in the rhythm of doing field days and all that sort of thing. We’ve all pulled together as a committee and the community really stepped up and made it happen.”

The weather, unfortunately, resulted in a few traders, particularly coming from along the Melba Highway in Yarra Glen or Yea, being blocked from attending to their set-up sites on Friday 14 October due to road closures.

Mr Kosterman said between the weather and Covid concerns they were a few attendees who had to pull out.

“We’ve had a couple of them who were keen to come out and who do so all the time who have had to miss out. It is disappointing for us and disappointing for them,” he said.

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do, Mother Nature is Mother Nature. Wednesday, and Thursday, the weather wasn’t looking great but it looks like we just got the tail end of it all and hopefully it holds off for another day so it is smooth sailing.”