This year the highland dancing competition was held on June 14, with the remainder of disciplines to now follow on from one another for the rest of the month. 

Speech and drama will be the first cabs off the rank on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Music will follow from August 10 to 20. 

Leeton Eisteddfod Society publicity officer Lenore Ditton was looking forward to the event getting underway. 

“Everything is all in place and ready to go,” she said. 

“Entrants across all of the disciplines seem to be pretty on par with last year, which is pleasing. 

“This year we trialled having our entries online and that seems to have gone quite well. 

“It was something we hadn’t done before, but we’ll likely do it again next year.”

This year’s eisteddfod will be the 53^rd time it has been held in Leeton. 

Mrs Ditton said the tradition of the event was alive and well in town. 

“It’s still very well supported every year,” she said. 

“I think the one in Wagga isn’t as big as it once was and Griffith doesn’t have one, so a lot of people to travel to come to ours. 

“We also have good venues where we hold the disciplines as well.”

Adjudicators for each of the different disciplines also come from near and far to assess the competitors. 

“They are always very knowledgeable in their fields and provide really good feedback to the entrants,” Mrs Ditton said. 

“They always comment on how many talented young people we have here. 

“We like to see our adjudicators coming back because they get to watch some of the young ones progress over the years.”

For Mrs Ditton the highlight each year is always seeing the smiling faces on stage. 

“There’s such a big range of categories that there’s always something going in,” she said. 

“It’s always entertaining. 

“Each year we see more and more talented people taking part.

“I think because we have such great dance and music schools here that really helps too.”

Mrs Ditton encouraged residents to take time out over the next month to enjoy the eisteddfod. 

“It’s really cheap entertainment,” she said. 

“For $5 you can get in and watch hours of performances.

“It’s really great fun.

“Those on stage love having an audience there. It gives them a boost”

Entries for the line dancing discipline are still open and will close on Saturday.