They are the Potato Festival’s best dressed. Think ‘Fashions on the Field’ – but itchier

This year’s entrants included a rocker with a bikini-style top, loose pants and dreadlocks made from potato sack seams; a young girl in a chic Chanel-style fitted suit; and a woman dressed as a potato chip packet that she could remove to reveal a flowing outfit with angel wings and a cowboy hat.

The winner was Ruth Bates, 15, of Childers, whose mother, Katy Bates, worked for six weeks to create a “Balkan Queen” look – a flowing 1800s-style robe dress with soutache embroidery and a cloche hat.

Katy said while the Potato Festival was “a fun day out”, she was very serious about Hessians on the Field. She also made a Cadian Shock trooper outfit – inspired by the Warhammer game – for her 17-year-old son Nathan.

Claire and Geoff Heffernan, of Narre Warren, won the speed mashed potato eating competition. The event involves a blindfolded contestant feeding a bowl of mashed potatoes to their teammate – who has to keep it down.

Geoff was well-prepared – he has watched speed eating competitions online with the couple’s kids Patrick, 9, and Kassandra, 7.

“It helps having two young kids,” Claire said. “Being a mum you’re like, ‘Just eat it!’”

Geoff said it didn’t even matter that the $50 prize didn’t cover the $60 family festival entry and $10 competition entry fee. “[The kids] love it,” he said.

The festival started in 1976 but was scrapped in 2002 over public liability insurance issues.