Preparations are in full swing for the show, on Friday and Saturday. It's the 160^th year since the Bendigo Agricultural Show Society began, initially showcasing farming skills such as ploughing and riding.

Show Society executive officer Ian Furze said the agricultural show was important to Bendigo, as one of the largest regional areas in Victoria.

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"We've probably got the strongest connection of the larger cities with our regional cities, and I think the show helps cement those relationships," Mr Furze said.

"There's not a lot of opportunity for city and country to get together any more. So the show's probably the only opportunity for the rural and regional centres to actually come to the same place."

Mr Furze said it was good to keep skills alive that had once been part of everyday life, such as craft, cooking, livestock care and even growing grain.

On-farm virtual reality will be among the show's attractions, designed to give users insight into agricultural life.

Visitors will put on a headset, transporting them to a different world. "Effectively you become a farmer", Mr Furze said.

It'll mean riding a motorbike, herding sheep, feeding animals.

"There's a lot of people that have got no idea what it's like to actually work on a farm, what's involved in breeding and raising animals to put it on a plate for dinner," Mr Furze said.

"A lot of people don't even know where their food comes from."

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But Mr Furze said everyone came to the show for something different. It might be the arts and crafts, the cooking displays, the animals or the attractions.

Freestyle Kings Motocross is the event's main attraction this year, Mr Furze said. The show will feature riders performing acrobatic feats - at times flying through the air while 100 per cent separated from their bikes.

Old favourites dog jumping and dog obedience will also get a run this year. Mr Furze said anyone was invited to bring their pet along to test its legs, with three different size categories.

A distraction filled track will let owners test their pets obedience ability.

Each night the show will finish with a spectacular fireworks display.

Find out more at: bendigoshow.org.au/about/

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