Since the first ever Sydney Royal Easter Show in 1823, things have come a long way and this year’s event is set to be one of the biggest ever with 900,000 people expected to flock to Olympic Park between April 10 and 23 to get in on the action.
Here’s our roundup of the top ten highlights from the Sydney Royal Easter Show 2014 …
The Opening Parade
Don’t panic, the Opening Parade actually runs over a few days so you have plenty of chances to check it out! This traditional highlight is set to showcase competition winners and more than 900 animals. It’s what the Easter show is really all about.
When and where: April 12 – 18 at Spotless Stadium
Goin’ Ape: Gorillas in Your Midst
A new addition to the show, this interactive performance, which has been performed around the world, sees four mountain gorilla performers showing off their antics and sharing conservation messages. It’s definitely the closest you’d want to get to watching and interacting with real-life gorillas, and is surely going to be one the kids love.
When and where: 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm and 5.30pm, daily (Note: there is no 5.30pm performance on 14, 15, 16, 17, 22 April) at The Daily Telegraph Park
Australia in All Its Glory
As the sun goes down, the Spotless Stadium will transform into a breathtaking vision of all that is wonderful about Australia. The action-packed, 45-minute production will see two narrators spin yarns, sing songs, and lead audiences on a journey through everything that is glorious about our land down under.
The finale will see a twelve-minute fireworks display (that’s double the time of last year) light up the sky. Not to be missed!
When and where: Every night from 8 – 9pm at the Spotless Stadium
The Waffle Dog
This year the show is boasting a new taste sensation that, in the trend of cronuts and chocorn, is combining two things we love in what’s sure to be a taste bud pleaser: the Waffle Dog. A spin on the Dagwood Dog, this hot dog on a stick is encased in a combination of pancake and waffle batter. We truly don’t know whether this would be an experience to remember for all the right reasons or all the wrong, but we’re definitely intrigued enough to find out.
When and where: Running for the whole show from the Carousel Café at President’s Plaza.
Dinosaur Adventures
The Easter Show is getting a little Jurassic Park this year with life-sized, animated dinosaurs on display in a full-themed forest in which kids will have the chance to embark on a own fossil-finding adventure. Complete with dress-up, tools to dig in a sand pit, and trained staff explaining the world of palentology, it’s set to be one they won’t forget soon!
When and where: 10 am – 6pm daily, Davidson Plaza
Woodchop
A must-see every single year, the Woodchop sees some of the world’s best axemen and women have their hand (or axe) at taking out the World Champion title in Underhand, Standing Block, Single Handed Sawing and Tree Felling.
Let’s face it, the Easter show just isn’t the same without this classic competition.
When and where: April 11 – 21, Woodchop Stadium
District Exhibits
From staring in awe of the artworks created from grain, wool, fruit, and vegetables as a child, to watching our own children do the same; our memories of the show’s most traditional display are fond ones indeed. Each display from the five agricultural districts consists of more than 10,000 pieces. If nothing else, checking these out is one way to gain an appreciation of extreme patience!
When and where: Running for the whole show in the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome
Showbags
After pouring over the showbag guide for hours on end, it’s only fair we actually purchase a couple of these! This year there are 336 bags on offer with Dorothy the Dinosaur, Monopoly, Nestle Show Stopper, Peppa Pig, and Tiny Teddy pinned as the top ten.
This year the Easter Show website have put a clever wishlist and budget tool on the site to help you make your selections.
When and where: Running for the whole show in the Showbag Pavillion
Psycho Sideshow
A little Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, a touch of Guinness World Records; the Psycho Sideshow is back and crazier than ever. This year the sideshow features the woman with the world’s strongest hair in an act that sees a washing machine lifted off the ground using nothing but the strength of her scalp and hair… Are we the only ones wondering what products she’s using?
When and where: 11 – 23 April at various times in the Big Top Amphitheatre
Meet and Greets
This year the little ones will have the chance to meet and greet with some on-screen favourites How to Train Your Dragon, PEPE LE PEW, Wizard of Oz, and Adventure Time. These larger-than-life characters will be showing off some of their talents and offering kids (and adults if they so please) the chance to have their own celebrity moment as they make themselves available for photographs.
When and where: 2pm – 6pm daily in the Meet and Greet Zone at the Kids’ Carnival
The Sydney Royal Easter Show 2014 runs from 10 – 23 April 2014 at Sydney Olympic Park – visit EasterShow.com.au for more information
