History

Situated on the corner of Awakino Point East Road and SH14 in Dargaville we host Northland’s largest annual agricultural event to promote and increase public awareness of agriculture products and produce within New Zealand’s primary and secondary industries.

36 Years Later and The Northland Field Days Are Bigger Than Ever!

The Northland Field Days started life in 1985 at the Dargaville racecourse as a project run by the Dargaville Jaycees, and regardless of the pouring rain, it was a roaring success with some 80 exhibitors!

In 1986 permanent power was added to 60 sites, which provided a welcome facility for exhibitors. After a period of economic downturn, 1990 had a huge increase in attendance of both exhibitors and visitors.  The increase has continued each year resulting in the event becoming the largest in Northland and the second largest agricultural event of its type in New Zealand.

In 2006 the land where the Northland Field Days is held now, was purchased by the society, and is now home to the Annual Event. In 2009, with much appreciated help from the neighbouring properties, the road was sealed to help keep the dust down and making it a smoother journey into the site.

Since 2009 through grant funding and other financial assistance, the Northland Field Days has been able to continually maintain the existing facilities, slowly upgrade electrical requirements, install one permanent toilet block along with another mobile toilet block and we have moved from a tiny 6m x 4m office building into a brand new (and much larger) office building that was mainly built by Northland Field Days committee members.  The Northland Field Days Committee wishes to retain the true “field days” atmosphere while also ensuring our exhibitors and the general public have a safe and comfortable experience at our event.

Over time we have evolved, becoming an Incorporated Society, registered with NZ Charities Commission and as we are a not-for-profit organisation – annually we make provisions to try and provide community grants for scholarships, research etc aimed at reinvesting back into the rural sector. While the event eventually outgrew the Dargaville Jaycees, the entire event is still organised by a group of volunteers, supported by one staff member in the office. Wherever possible non-profit volunteer community groups are invited to be part of the event which has become a major source of fundraising for some of these groups.

Our mission is “To become the leading Regional Field Days in New Zealand and to host a world class agricultural event each year”

Our motto is to remain being “The Friendly Field Days”.