In the final section of this year's eisteddfod, entries have been high and convenor Jenny Darley said it's been a "wonderful" week.

"Our Monday was really quite explosive with 22 groups competing [in choral speech]," she said.

"The hall was absolutely filled to capacity and overflowing and we had to break it up into three different sections to get everyone in.

"The adjudicator, [Annelise McCarthy], said everything was of such a high standard and she was impressed with the groups."

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In the afternoon, pre-schoolers and infants took to the stage to recite poetry, prepared readings, duologues, monologues and improvised drama.

"She was surprised that the little ones were able to get up and perform as well as they did," Mrs Darley said.

Tuesday focused on junior primary entries and in the afternoon, more than 20 students from Gunnedah High School and St Mary's College showcasing their public speaking skills in the annual Speak Off at The Civic.

St Mary's was ruled the overall victor, with Cooper Williams, Fergus Hunter, Hugh Hunter, Emma Jerrett and Bella Gallagher winning their year groups. Gunnedah High School's Ellyn Blinman won the Year 9 round.

"The public speaking was wonderful. Those speeches were quite different and diverse and had so much depth in them," Mrs Darley said.

The Poems for Two categories have been fit to bursting, with all of St Xavier's Primary School's Year 6 students entering.

"It's very light and cheery, and what the adjudicator did say at one stage was that she really liked the comradeship with each other; they were clapping for each other, and she was pleased with that," Mrs Darley said.

The convenor said there had been a high turnout, with minimal entrants pulling out.

The Mature Age Eisteddfod at Mackellar Care Services on Wednesday also drew participants from Quirindi and GoCo.

The speech, drama and public speaking section wraps up on Thursday afternoon with a workshop at Gunnedah South Public School to "promote public speaking" and "give them steps of how to get ready for a speech".

The Gunnedah Eisteddfod Society has received an arts and cultural grant from Gunnedah Shire Council to run the workshop and plans to hold more next year ahead of the 2020 eisteddfod.