The Sydney Royal Easter Show, the annual largest ticketed event in NSW, wowed its way back with a spectacular two weeks of excitement from April 6 to April 17. With new entertainment, funky food and adorable furry animals, this year’s Show themed around “find your happy place”.
An estimated 869,000 showgoers entered the Showground to immerse themselves in the Easter line-ups. The highest daily attendance was 80,000 on Easter Monday when the tickets were sold out. But attendance this year did not quite reach the attendance in 2019 which was 903,630 or last year’s of around 900,000 people.
Sydney Royal Easter Show general manager Murray Wilton told ABC News: “You hear of all the downturn on the news and all the economical struggles, but by all accounts things have been great, so people are still out spending and we see that the Sydney Royal Easter Show will be no different.
“Every year, we look to bring new and exciting entertainment and attractions to wow and thrill Showgoers. So, whether you come to the Show every year, or if it’s your first time, there are always new and exciting things to see and do.”
First time on show
Australian native animals came to the Show for the first time ever. The Australian Wildlife Displays featured some of our backyard friends, including dingoes and snakes. Visitors were treated to a face-to-face educational experience with the bush animals. While the team promoted the importance of environmental conservation, they also taught visitors how to discourage sneaky snakes from their property as well as what to do if they encounter one in the wild.
There were also international guests at the Show which hosted an American Bison in the Rooftop Express. Rawhide, the seven-year-old bull, took to the stage and amazed showgoers by dashing to the rooftop with his strong muscular legs. The Rooftop Express Show brought back the Heroes of the Outback to the Showground with highly refined and visually enchanting stunts, true blue Australian comedy and awe-inspiring horsemanship.
The new attraction Neon Alley introduced some funky food to the show with a unique combination of sweet and savoury. The Gummy Bear Loaded Fries tickled children’s taste buds in a bucket of fries with gummy bear and sprinkles as toppings.
The Fries used more than 160 kilos of gummy bears throughout the 12 days. That is a weight equivalent to a single-sized bed with a mattress and headboard.
Callan Boys, the Sydney Morning Herald food critic, tasted the interesting duet and said, “this is a very strange job”.
Other traditional Show food included iconic Chip-on-a-stick, Cheese-on-a-stick, and fresh lemonade.
Many small friends
Do you know what a cavy is? It is another name for a guinea pig and there were plenty, short-haired or long, quietly sitting on a green velvet mat waiting to be judged. This year, 45 breeds of guinea pigs were judged in one day at the Pet Pavilion on April 13, making up the over 480 different breeds of animals at the Show. From nearly 100 cavies competing, a winner was found: Saffron Falcon, a long-haired sheltie, took home the Best Cavy in Show and the Best Baby in Show, honouring his young owner.
But Cavies were not the smallest friends at the Show. More than 500 baby chickens hatched in the Poultry Pavilion during the Show for Pat a Chick. Children and families welcomed the soft-feathered chicks, welcoming the tiny chicks and adding to the festive atmosphere.
The Easter Show was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.
