The Ag Show has been given a new name this year and a folklife theme is become a permanent fixture in the annual event.

The Annual Exhibition, which was previously known as the Agricultural Exhibition or Ag Show, has been expanded to include the cultural aspects of life on the Island after the success last year of the Bermuda Connections programme, which played an integral role.

The Bermuda Connections programme was adapted to the Ag Show last year after being part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC in 2001.

It comprised of displays, exhibitions, stalls and educational shows about the history and culture of Bermuda.

But yesterday, at a press conference given by Minister of Sport and Community Affairs Randolph Horton, the new name for the exhibition was confirmed, along with a run down of activities and events this year.

He said: "We are happy to report that the Bermuda Connections re-staging in Bermuda was such a resounding and unqualified success.

"Subsequently, the Ministry of the Environment and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs were united in our belief that the preservation of Bermuda's unique folklife traditions was a worthy and noble pursuit.

"After much collaboration, between many sectors of the Government and private sector, we decided that the best way forward would be to rename the exhibition to The Annual Exhibition, so that we can continue to incorporate more of our folklife traditions into the programme each year."

The Minister said the exhibition will continue to build on much of what made its predecessor so sacred, and it will continue to represent what is best about the Bermudian cultural mix.

This year, said Mr. Horton, the exhibition will show the skill and expertise of Bermudians in such areas as cooking, agriculture, horticulture, crafts, cricket and play.

He added: "In addition to the static displays of flowers, gardens and vegetables, persons attending the exhibition will be able to interact with craft persons, gardeners, floral arrangers and other tradition bearers.

"We believe that unique opportunities such as these, where one is able to converse with and observe bearers of this knowledge, are also unique opportunities where knowledge of their important skills can be passed on from generation to generation. "It's important that our young people learn to appreciate the expertise that exists in our community."

Mr. Horton said the traditional participants in the Ag Show were happy with last year's enhanced theme and were in favour of its permanent expansion to include folklife. And the Minister said everyone believed that the extra scope would bring in a wider range of visitors.

He added: "We have worked very hard with the Ministry of Environment to ensure that we enhance and not take anything away from what it was.

"What we are doing is all about traditions, so we are bringing in, as part of it, folklife. Adding to last year brought something new to the event and it became more attractive to a broader section of the community."

The show will be held at the Botanical Gardens in Paget from Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26, and about 10,000 people are expected to turn out for this year's event. Entry is $7.