The excitement is building for one of the biggest days on the Macleay Valley's social calendar - the Kempsey Cup.
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The prestigious event is set to return on Friday, November 10, with hundreds of people getting ready to flock to the local race track.
This year will mark the second time the event will be held at full capacity after organisers were forced to limit the crowd capacity to 500 in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.
Kempsey Race Club secretary John Graham said preparations for the event were going well.
"We've got reserved seating which is almost full," he said.
Graham said he appreciated the community supporting the event each year.
"Kempsey really gets behind anything local and they're doing the same for this," he said. "The Macleay Valley people are so good at supporting local things"
Kempsey Cup and Fashions on the Field organiser, Christine Shaw, said the club is excited to host the event again.
"We have great race entries and the track is looking in fantastic condition," she said. "We've had an amazing response from people reserving tables and tickets."
The excitement won't be solely contained to the race track, with the Fashions on the Field set to make its grand return.
Fashions on the Field is a fixture at every horse racing event, and with the Kempsey Cup just around the corner, locals will be adding the finishing touches to their race-day attire.
With an impressive list of prizes for this year's winners, locals are encouraged to dress in their best on November 10.
Shaw said there will be three judges who will pick the winners on the day.
"We've got some great judges who will be doing the Fashions on the Field," she said.
Returning judge Mary Walker will be joined by Kirby Johnston, with the male judge still to be confirmed.
The 2023 categories for Fashions on the Field are:
- Lady of the Day
- Best Dressed Gentleman
- Best Dressed Couple
- Most beautiful Millinery
- Young Contemporary
- Trendy Teen Girl & Boy
- Little Cherubs Boy & Girl Prize Bag
Shaw said she's looking forward to seeing everyone dress in their best.
"Everything's looking good, and everyone's working really hard to make it a good race meeting."
The Kempsey Cup will wrap up a huge week in horse racing in Australia with the Melbourne Cup to be ran on Tuesday, November 7.
The event will be held at Warwick Park, North Street Kempsey on Friday, November 10.
