Easter Show tips can save you time, money…and stress! Now that The Easter Show is back, if you’re planning on taking the family, then you MUST read these excellent tips from North Shore Mum and ex-exhibitor Amy Porter, who shares her insider tips. Follow her guide to have the easiest Easter Show experience possible.
As an ex-exhibitor at the show, I thought I’d put forward a few tips on how to do the Easter Show and get the most out of it without remortgaging your house!
What date does the Easter Show start?
After being cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, the Sydney Easter Show is back in 2021 and on until Monday 12 April.
Where is the Royal Easter Show held?
The Easter Show will happen at Sydney Showground at Olympic Park, Homebush.
The RAS is working closely with NSW Health to ensure the 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show is compliant with all COVIDSafe requirements as directed.
Sydney Royal Easter Show: Tickets
- Tickets are only available via TicketMaster in order to limit crowds. The Sydney Royal Easter Show will host up to 60,000 ticket holders each day, about half normal attendance. The Show itself instituted the daily cap to ensure effective social distancing.
Meet farmyard animals, taste award-winning produce, shop ’til you drop and feel the adrenaline in the carnival rides!
Staying Safe
- Use kids’ wristbands that you can write your mobile number on in case they get lost. Otherwise write your number on their arm.
- Take a photo of your child on your phone at the beginning of the day, so if they get lost you can show people what they’re wearing
- Show organisers have been working closely with NSW Health to ensure COVID-19 safe practices are in place.These include plans to support single-directional flow of crowds, the employment of COVID Safety Marshalls and extra cleaning
What to bring
- If you’re going the BYO lunch route, then lunch in a cooler bag plus snacks and water bottles. Get to the Easter Show as soon as it opens so you can snag a locker to dump your things in. There are $2 lockers are located between the Haunted House and Thomas Cook / Wrangler shop
- Warm clothes (it gets cold at night)
- Wear enclosed shoes which can get dusty and dirty
- You may wish to bring your own santisier or face masks
The Show offers children, adults and families a wonderful world of excitement, gasps and giggles with balloons galore!
Itinerary
I recommend navigating the show in an anti-clockwise direction. This is a great system and order that works for us:
- Start with showbags (you can dump them in the locker or drip feed them to the kids throughout the day). It’s so much quieter in the morning!
- Woolworths Food Dome (I get all my showbags from the Food Dome) and district exhibits. It’s quieter in the morning period. This is also a good time (early) to visit the Farmyard nursery as it’s not as chaotic
- Woodchipping competition and the pet animal pavilions
- Morning tea of scones and tea at the CWA tearoom (in the pavilion next to Food Dome) or at this stage kids can eat their BYO snacks. If you have a pram, leave it off to the side, also it can get a queue but it moves fairly fast.
- Dog pavilion (if you have a purebred dog then check out which day your breed is on)
- Horse stables, practice arenas, Schmidt arena and marshaling yard
- Cattle stables
- Pick up lunch in locker and eat in the main arena while watching entertainment or general classes
- Sheep Dog demonstrations
- Children’s and educational areas
- Rodeo, evening and night entertainment
- Anything else which takes your fancy and you might have missed
Bathrooms
Don’t use a bathroom you can find easily, they’re usually gross! There are bathrooms next to the CWA Tearoom which are OK and have baby changing facilities, otherwise the horse stables and cattle stable buildings have bathrooms. The bathrooms are on the ground floor on the short side of the buildings. There are more quiet toilets in the pet pavilion near the cafe.
Animal Etiquette
You’re more than welcome to ask people if you can pat their dog/horse/cow etc, just ask nicely (address the person not the animal) and don’t get offended if they say ‘no’. Most will say yes, but some horses might have their show makeup on and the owner saying ‘no’ might be just to prevent you from getting the makeup’s black colour on you. Or they might be really anxious or nervous before a class (Sydney Royal is a huge deal for competitors). Take the opportunity to ask them what they’re competing in, and then thank them and wish them luck.
When you meet farm animals just remember two simple rules: take care of the animals and take care of yourself
Taking a break
One of the best Easter show tips is to make sure you plan some breaks. It’s a big day! The best places to sit and recover are the dog pavilion (in the stands in front of the show ring), the main arena, Schmidt arena and CWA tea room
Easter Show tips: How to save money
- BYO water, snacks and lunches. While healthy is good, keep in mind you’ll need to compete with show food so carrot sticks will only go so far! If you do have to buy food, head towards the stables and look out for where the exhibitors are queuing they’ve spent two weeks living at the show so they know where is cheapest and best (e.g. CWA tearoom!)
- BYO sunscreen, water, Band Aids, hats etc so you don’t get caught out and have to pay through the nose for essentials or emergencies. If you do get stuck, Wrangler and Thomas Cook shops have amazingly cheap long sleeved shirts and polo tops for kids
- Choose rides OR showbags. If the kids choose showbags then get them to choose them in advance so you’re not aimlessly wandering through the pavilion
Most of all, have a wonderful day and soak up the atmosphere!
Comments
Hi all Easter Show People.. take snacks Drink with you change shoes and one more thing dress kids very Bright T-shirt.. and you to Mummy!
Tip: don’t wait to get to the Easter show to plan your day go to the Easter show website and print the day itinerary and with the kids at home the day before sit with them and highlight what you and they want to see, this will ensure you don’t miss anything and gives everyone the opportunity to be happy. Eg Showbags can be purchased anytime but you don’t want to miss the woodchop!
Tks…great advice fr families
Thanks so much, these tips were very helpful. In particular, re the show bags and lockers.