Gresford’s main street will become a spectacular downhill track for more than 100 billy carts on Easter Saturday as the 2017 Gresford Billy Cart Derby and Easter Fair hits town.
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The racing will be competitive, the designs weird and amusing, but taking the event to the next level this year is a lot of great new concepts and technology.
“The guys from Advance Security Systems at Nulkaba have provided a VMS board with speed camera to record times,” event organiser Graham Chapman said.
“They’ve built us a new PA and there will be TV screens displaying times.
“We’ve got brand new signage and flags all round the place, courtesy of the Sign Shop at Maitland, so the place will look a million bucks and with any luck the new road surface will be complete. For the first time this year, we’re introducing a podium presentation like they do at Bathurst.
“Petersons Sparkling Wines is bottling up soda water, complete with the Billy Cart logo, and the winners will get their presentations and then spray victory soda water over the crowds.”
Racing starts from 8.30am with the younger racers … then it’s the adults, including tag team races and special feature races, until after lunch.
“The Lake Mitre 10 Easter bunny will be handing out eggs through the day and racing his custom bunny cart, there will be a celebrity race-off between Celebrity Race, Member for Lyne, Doctor David Gillespie and a CWA volunteer, and at the end of the day, the eight fastest carts will race off,” Mr Chapman said.
Billy cart racing won’t be the only attraction. Get your throwing arm cranked up to toss a gum boot in the gum boot throwing competition. Try your luck in the cow pat lotto – someone has to win. There are prizes aplenty in the monster raffle. Swap stories over the vintage and classic cars on display
Check out the many stalls – collectables and books, craft, sweets, food and drink, preserves, traditional babies wear, nuts, fairyfloss and snowcones. Fossick for a bargain at the monster garage sale. Enjoy a paddock picnic while the kids burn up energy on the rides.
Hotel Beatty will host live music from about 1.30pm through to 6.30pm and then if you’re still up for more action, take a short but scenic ride over the Bingleburra Range and check out the Dungog Rodeo.
