After a tough season of bushfires and the recent postponement of the Agricultural Show, the Ballarat agricultural community is in need of an event to lift their spirits.
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The Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society (BAPS) will host its first Ag Ball on April 20 at the North Ballarat Sports Club.
BAPS events coordinator, Jackie Kalogerakis, hopes that the ball will provide an opportunity for farmers to have fun and connect with each other.
"The Agricultural and Pastoral Society are really making an effort to recognise the agricultural community," she said.
"I think there's always been such a big focus on the show, but we'd just like to add a bit more diversity in, celebrating everyone who helps us out with these events and we're putting a bit of fun back to the agricultural community."
The event will alternate each year with the Rural Achiever Awards, which made a return last year after a six-year break.
Money raised from the ball will go towards a $5000 scholarship to be awarded next year to a student studying an agricultural course.
"It gives the young Ag Society members an opportunity to show what they're doing because, as we all know, a lot of these kids are out there working really hard, and they don't really get acknowledged for it," she said.
Local band, No Mistake, will be playing live music on the night and there will be a secret lock-box filled with locally-sourced items.
Attendees can also bid in a live and silent auction; items on offer include Showcase cinema tickets to the Regent Theatre, red gum firewood and a dressed lamb.
The BAPS is expecting a crowd of about 150 people, and welcome all members of the agricultural community who would like to enjoy their time and support a good cause.
"We are a not-for-profit organisation, we have to do everything ourselves and we don't expect handouts," she said.
"So the more people can get behind the Ag Society and realise that we're here to support Ballarat's agricultural community, which is what these events are for, the more it will grow and hopefully we can get some young ones back in there."
Tickets include a two course dinner, canapes and a complimentary drink on arrival.
They can be bought online on Trybooking until Thursday.
