Footrot Flats Rural a day of fun

The Footrot Flats Rural Day is to be held on October 12 and the dress code is everything Footrot Flats.

Dress up as Wal, The Dog, Aunt Dolly, or don your riding chaps, gumboots, black shorts and singlet, chequered shirts, jeans, denims or overalls.

The day is a celebration of Feildingborn Murray Ball’s Footrot Flats.

Murray died in March last year, but his wife Pam, their sons and grandchildren will be at Manchester Square to join the celebrations.

Feilding Promotion project manager Raewyn Loader said the Ball family were delighted to be invited to join the celebrations and were looking forward to the event in Manchester Square.

“They don’t want any fuss, preferring to remain low key and no formal public reception.

“We have organised a special treat for the Ball family, inviting local schools, childcare centres and music groups to sing the Footrot Flats movie theme song Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn.

“This is an amazing opportunity for us to show our love and respect for Murray.

“We’re inviting the public to come along, bring your singing voices and join us for a 9.30am rehearsal at the Clock Tower.”

Rural Day is an iconic annual event that attracts thousands of locals and visitors from far and wide to celebrate the Manawatu¯ rural heritage.

“The aim of this free event is to bring the community together. Manchester Square will be filled with farmyard animals, non-stop entertainment, rides, fun rural activities and competitions for the whole family.‘

“This will be recorded and used by our organisation to promote our own slice of heaven here in Feilding and the district.

“The footage and photos may be used on the Feilding website, Facebook page and other media advertising forums.

Raewyn is encouraging businesses to join in the fun by creating their own rural day in their workplaces, dressing up and bringing their pets to work.

For the first time the hotly contested annual Central ITM Gumboot Relay will be filmed by drone, from start to finish, and streamed live on the Central Energy Trust mobile screen located in Manchester Square.

Businesses will register a relay team of four people — either men, women or a mixed team — with one pair of gumboots to change over.

The race starts noon at the saleyards and ends at the Clock Tower.

The award-winning Farmers Market will be in full swing and Raewyn says there’s sure to be a few rural bargains to be found about town. “Come on, rattle ya daggs and get in behind friendly Feilding’s Footrot Flats-themed Rural Day.”