Wendy Franklin said the gates had been smashed on the opening morning yesterday, with about half the attendees opting to take advantage of the NSW government Discover voucher.

"We've already started to fill the overflow car park which never happens on a Friday," she said.

But those planning to head along to Tocal College for the event on the weekend shouldn't be too worried about finding a park.

"We've already got people out mowing areas for more parking," she said.

"That's the beauty of holding an event on a property, when you need more space you just mow another paddock.

"We got a bit smashed at the gate today but we'll have a few more lines open on the weekend to get people in quicker."

A record crowd would be fitting in what Ms Franklin says will be her last year at the helm of the agricultural event, with plans to retire after 12 years.

Ms Franklin said the strong crowds on the opening day were a relief after last year's cancellation due to COVID-19.

Ms Franklin was instrumental in the federal government introducing a $2.7 million package to assist cancelled field days, saying the events play a vital role in educating the community about agriculture and its impact.

Tocal didn't receive the funding as it had coverage for money lost, but Ms Franklin said the cancellation was still tough.

"It's really hard when something is cancelled, you feel like you lose a bit of momentum," she said.

"I think people don't understand the ripple effect.

"The community organisations that work with us, we make contribution to their groups.

"Some of them we pay to run the car park and the site setup. We donated $40,000 last time.

"It was also a big loss to the wider community.

"The economic loss for a small village like Paterson and even Maitland is huge - from the accommodation, people filling up their cars with petrol."

But she said this year's event was certainly worth the wait.

The theme is future farming with drone and robotic demonstrations, Tocal student showcases and performances all weekend on stage.

There's plenty of fun for families too, with an animal nursery and the always popular piglet races.

"It's just a fantastic atmosphere," Ms Franklin said.

"I'd like to hear if anyone comes to this event and doesn't enjoy their day."

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