Thinking about taking the kids to the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2024? Easter Show tips can save you time, money… and stress! To do the show like a pro, read these excellent tips to have the best experience at ‘the show’ this year!
When is the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2024?
In 2024, The Sydney Royal Easter Show is on from Friday 22 March until Tuesday 2 April 2024. It’s important to note that Easter Sunday is early this year, falling on Sunday 31 March, but the NSW school holidays don’t start until Monday 15 April.
Where is the Royal Easter Show held?
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is held at Sydney Showground at Olympic Park, Homebush.
Sydney Royal Easter Show: Tickets
Entry Tickets
It’s a great idea to pre-buy your tickets online before you arrive via TicketMaster:
- All-Day Tickets: Adult $45 | Child/Student $28 | Family of 4 $32.50 each
- After 4pm Tickets: Allocations are exhausted
Tickets can also be purchased at the gate, but are more expensive.
Rides: Download the Easter Show Fun Pass before you arrive
The Easter Show Fun Pass App is your ticket to all the carnival fun at this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show. Simply tap to ride and tap to play! Download the NEW 2024 Easter Show Fun Pass app, load credits and you’re away.
Simply present the QR code within the App at rides and games for fast access or they can load a Carnival Fun Pass card for you when you arrive at the Show.
How much are rides at the Easter Show?
You can buy credits for $1.20 each, or in the following bundles:
- 30 credits = $36
- 60 credits = $68 (save $4.00)
- 90 credits = $93 (save $15.00)
- 130 credits = $123 (save $33.00)
All carnival rides require 4 or more credits. Here are some examples of what rides cost in 2024:
- Super Slide | 4 coupons ($4.80)
- Family Midi Dodgem Cars | 5 coupons ($6)
- The Royal Carousel | Classic merry-go-round | 6 coupons ($7.20)
- Royal Tea Cups | 6 coupons ($7.20)
- Kite Flyer | 6 coupons ($7.20)
- Wave Swinger | 7 coupons ($8.40)
- Adventure Log Flume | 7 coupons ($8.40)
- Aviator | 8 coupons ($9.60)
- Wild Mouse | 9 coupons ($10.80)
- XXXL | Ultimate high speed thrill | 11 coupons ($13.20)
- The Beast | 16 coupons ($19.20)
- Slingshot | 40 coupons ($48)
What’s the best way to get to the Easter Show?
Public Transport is highly recommended. Free transport is included in your ticket. Find out more.
If you’re planning on driving to the show, be sure to pre-book parking beforehand to ensure a spot on the day.
Meet farmyard animals, taste award-winning produce, shop ’til you drop and feel the adrenaline in the carnival rides!
Tips for keeping kids safe at The Easter Show
- Use kids’ wristbands that you can write your mobile number on in case they get lost. Otherwise, write your number on their arm.
- If they’re too young to have a phone with Life360 or Find My Phone, you might want to think about getting an AirTag so you can track them if they get lost.
- Take a photo of your child on your phone at the beginning of the day, so if they get lost you can show the officials what they’re wearing.
Avoid carrying heavy bags (and showbags!) and get a locker!
The $2 self-service lockers are a great option if you don’t expect to re-open your locker frequently throughout they day. A $2 Coin is required each time the locker is opened and closed.
Locations:
- Main arena concourse
- Grand Parade, outside the Flower & Garden Pavilion
- Showground Road, outside Woolworths Fresh Food Dome
- The foyer of the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome, enter via Showground Road
What to bring
- Snacks, lunch & water. This is a great way to save some money (and you can always buy a few treats too!)
- Warm clothes (it can get cool in the evening if you are staying for the fireworks at 8:45pm).
- You may wish to bring your own hand sanitiser, tissues or baby wipes.
- Wear enclosed shoes which can get dusty and dirty. Gumboots might be a great choice if it’s raining!
The Show offers children, adults and families a wonderful world of excitement, gasps and giggles with balloons galore!
Recommended Itinerary for the Easter Show
Amy Porter is a North Shore Mums and an ex-exhibitor who has lots of insider knowledge about how to ‘do’ the show like a pro. She shares her Easter Show tips for how to plan your day below…
I recommend navigating the show in an anti-clockwise direction:
- 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! Even better, if you’re letting the kids pick a showbag each then do it beforehand. Head to the showbag website and let them browse away and make their choice before the day.
- 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.
- Woodchopping 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 marshalling 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.
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
Cozzie Livs! How to save money at the Easter Show
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 Essentials
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.
Be selective about what you do for entertainment!
Choose rides OR showbags… and make that clear before you go to the show. There’s plenty of free entertainment & shows on offer to keep you busy the whole day.
Most of all, have a wonderful day and soak up the atmosphere!
