A nod to 1963 with couture and cookery tips at Country Lifestyle

Couture and cookery tips from the early 1960s combined with floral tips, fashions that flatter, and farm fitness, there will be something for everyone in the Country Lifestyle pavilion this year as Henty celebrates its diamond anniversary.

The Country Lifestyle pavilion is run by Lyn Jacobsen and Leonie Kohlhagen with a team of Riverina Group CWA members.

Compere for the fashion parades is motivational speaker Bernadette Torresan, who runs the red-carpet event, GO Fashion Show in Wodonga, while Albury MC Steve Bowen OAM will once again provide the music.

Former compere Peta Schaefer continues to train the models and will be supported by Bernadette. 

Mrs Jacobsen said the aim of the Country Lifestyle program was always to entertain, inform and educate.

Fashion parades have been consistently popular with field day visitors, sowing the seed for the launch of the Henty Natural Fibre Fashion Awards in 2004.

Today, the competition is one of the major natural fibre awards in Australia, attracting international entries for the first time several years ago.

The 2023 Natural Fibre Fashion Awards will culminate with the judging on Thursday, September 21 from 1pm.

This year’s judges are Leanne O’Toole, Wodonga, Lisa Schaefer, Grenfell, and Colleen Langtry, Wagga Wagga.

Demonstrations covering a vast array of topics are held between the parades, keeping a vibrant tempo in the pavilion.

Among the demonstrators invited this year is stylist Jo Lucchesi helping women to find clothing to suit their body shape;  potting orchids with the CWA’s Ann Adams OAM; succession planning for farming families with Commins Hendriks; Farm Life Fitness with Louise O’Neill, craft work with Lyn Maloney, Jenni Turner, Fox and Lillie, will outline the local wool industry; family succession planning with Dianna Jacobsen, Shine at Business; handy first aid tips from St John’ Ambulance; floral styling with Judy Knobel; David Post, Riverina Bluebell, speaking on mental health and resilience; advice from Relationships Australia and the long range weather forecast from Karl Lijdners, Weather Matters. 

Each day there will be a mini fashion parade of garments from 1963 as a salute to the Henty Machinery Field Days 60^th anniversary along with recipes, cookery and lifestyle tips from the early 1960s by CWA members. 

Mrs Jacobsen and cake decorator Kate Aldridge has made three cakes to raise funds for the regional charities, including Riverina Bluebell, with the winners drawn during the afternoon fashion parades. 

Henty born circus star Marcela Scheuner, who has performed around the world, will dazzle on the stage with her hoop juggling performance.