It was time for a western Victorian branch to host the event and the Ararat branch put their hand up to be in the running.

Unfortunately, the event was meant to be held in 2020 and was postponed to 2021.

At time of publication, the exhibition was set to open at Ararat Town Hall on Friday, August 20 and Saturday, August 21.

State Treasurer and Entry Co-ordinator for the State Creative Arts Exhibition Heather Scott said there was a new component to the event.

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"This year, in addition to the exhibition, we are holding the first Ararat Sock Festival alongside the Creative Arts Exhibition," she said.

"This is a new event, designed to encourage community participation, bring more people to visit Ararat, and also to encourage the craft of knitting."

Members of the public are encouraged to enter the sock competition as well with prizes for adults and children aged under 18 in eight different sections.

These annual exhibitions provide opportunities for members to showcase their skills in 270+ handcraft and home industries (cookery, preserves) categories, each judged against set criteria by a volunteer CWA of Victoria Inc trained judge.

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Ms Scott said all entrants received feedback on their skills and artistic abilities.

"This ensures the highest quality of work is produced by CWA members, and community skills are maintained," she said.

"Esteem and pride from success at a CWA State Exhibition can be sustaining for individual CWA branches, as well as heartening for individuals, and provides opportunity to demonstrate excellence."

From August 16, CWA members will take their entries to the Ararat Town Hall, where they will be judged, results recorded and entries displayed.

Ms Scott said the CWA were ready to put on this event and have all the precautions in place.

"We had very close consultation with the staff at Ararat Town Hall and Ararat council" she said.

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There were plenty of back up plans, Ms Scott joked.

"We have plenty of back up plans depending on what might happen," she said.

"It looks like we're good to go because regional Victoria is open.

"Unfortunately, our metro members will not be able to attend, as well as a couple of judges.

"We'll have a really good exhibition even thought there might be some entrants who might not be able to make it."

Ms Scott said the CWA hoped the Ararat Sock Festival would become an annual tourism drawcard, similar to the Alice Springs Beanie Festival and the Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival.

So, get knitting!

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