Eastern Southland Cake Decorators Guild president Jean Kirby said her organisation and its Southland counterpart would host the national conference at Invercargill's Ascot Park this weekend.
The conference was held alternately between the North and South Islands, Mrs Kirby said.
Eastern Southland Guild members gathered on Monday to create a giant fake cake which would be used as the centrepiece for the conference and would be placed in the foyer at Ascot Park, she said.
Members had also placed examples of finely decorated cakes in some shop windows in Gore, Mrs Kirby said.
About 230 decorators from throughout New Zealand had enrolled for the conference many would be bringing partners and supporters who would also be catered for at the conference, she said.
A bus trip would be provided for partners and supporters, she said.
There would be several demonstrations held at the conference and some of the demonstrators would be travelling to the conference from overseas.
The demonstrators would include Stephen Benison, of the United Kingdom, and Robyn Hamilton, of Melbourne.
The weekend would include a get-together on Friday night, a banquet on Saturday night to which partners were invited, demonstrations and the guild's annual meeting.
The conference would finish with a lunch on Sunday.
There would also be an exhibition of cakes open to the public on Saturday between 9am and 4pm and on Sunday between 9am and 1pm.
