Apr9

So we went to the Sydney Royal Easter Show yesterday. Be warned, it’s a big, picture heavy post ahead, without much knitting involved.
First things first.


A Highly Commended! I’m pretty happy with that – the shawl that won was gorgeous. It’s the creamy coloured one you can see a bit of. I forgot all about taking pictures of the winning shawls and the other knitting entries.As usual, some were gorgeous, some not gorgeous, but a lot of work put into them all.
Although some one had knitted an entire baked dinner, which was on display!

That ends the knitting content, unless you want to look at alpacas and sheep!
The Easter Show has been running for around 75 years (I think), and is a pretty big deal in Sydney. It runs for two weeks, and for the next two weeks, if anyone says “I went to the show”, everyone knows exactly what they are talking about. The whole thing is supposed to be about bringing the country to the city, and there are all sorts of competitions from art and craft, food, baking, produce and animals. It’s become a lot more commercialised over the years, and there is a lot of junk type stalls, and food stalls, and the prices are exorbitant.
It’s now held in Olympic Park, where some of the events from the 2000 Olympics were held. When you get off the train, one of the first things you see as you enter the park is the Olympic Cauldron, which is now a water fountain.
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Animals are a huge part of the show, and you can walk through all the pavilions where the animals are kept. There are horses, cows, pigs, sheep and goats. Most of the animals on display are farm animals, apart from each day there are different breeds of dogs, cats, bunnies and caged birds for competition.
We got a bit carried away with the alpacas. They are so cute, and they make the funniest noises – entertainment plus.



These two were cute, they were having a little kiss.
There’s a farmyard nursery, where they have all the baby animals. You can see chickend hatching, and all sorts of baby animals. For many of the kids in Sydney, this is the only chance they get to get up close to pigs, ducks, goats and the like.


We saw some sheep.


Sheep. Sorry, I love wool, but the alpacas were cuter and more entertaining. 😉
For Jessie, chickens.


I love the fluffy one!
Not a farm animal, but there was a koala on display from a wildlife group.

It’s a hard life!
In the food pavilion, every year there are displays, made by different areas. Each of these displays is made of food, grains and other agricultural products.




Here’s a hint of what the crowds are like.
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Traditionally, the first weekend is the quiet one. Next weekend (Easter weekend) is the busy one. Yeah, it gets busier!
There are carnival rides.
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We didn’t go on any this year. Prohibitively expensive, and I’m not sure that I’m up to it anymore. Although both DH and I had a hankering for a ride on this.

The Slingshot. It’s a steel cage on a bungee cord. Two people at a time, locked into the cage and flung hundreds of feet into the air. However, it’s $30 each to go on it, so we decided not to this year. Mind you, there was a long line of people waiting for a turn.
Finally, the showbag pavilion. Years ago, the showbags were called sample bags, and were bags of samples put together by companies and given away for free. Not any more.

There are hundreds of them, and 99% of them are a ripoff. There are chocolate bags, and toy bags, and its all nothing more than rampant consumerism. And the kids go mad for them. Em got a few cheap ones, I got a Darrell Lea one. (Aussies know exactly what that is, for the international crowd, it’s chocolate. Yummy chocolate.
At the end of the day, there is some great entertainment in the main arena. Last night there was a rodeo (Australia v USA, Australia won), precision cars – I love the precision cars!, Lady Cannonball, and fireworks.
Then it’s time to go home, with aching feet and empty wallets.
And assorted junk, like lei’s, cowboy hats and cupie dolls.

24 thoughts on “”

  2. The kewpie dolls – they are pure “memories of childhood shows” aren’t they. I remember always going and being absolutely TERRIFIED of the fireworks….hiding in Dad’s shoulder….
    HIGHLY COMMENDED – well done cream bun – that is fantastic – I did expect the blue one to be pinned on it but that is just amazing – how many entries were there….?

  4. Brings back memories of the Auckland Easter Show’s of my childhood – although they weren’t quite as big. Well done on the highly commended!

  5. Well done !!!wasnt there some lovely work there. not to bad for a show that had been going for over 180 years ago. i hope your working towards next year

  7. Congrats! It looks like you had fun! I’m surrently into the home improvement phase–the hubby and I are dropping the income tax refund on hardwood floors for the downstairs, with tile for the kitchen, bathroom, and entryway. And he’s said something about a new fridge….

  9. Hey, congrats on the show result! Nice to have, and show judging always to be madly idiosyncratic – I often reckon the things which get HC and Commendeds are nicer/better than the ones that win, but then, we don’t get to see the insides or back, LOL.
    Alpacas are divine – if you ever get down this way in the depths of winter, (good excuse to knit a 12 ply jumper, LOL), try to get to the Aussie Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo, which has LOTS of alpacas – I got kissed by one last year! And they have masses of sheep, and mohair goats too. No mad chooks, though – we have to wait for the Melb Show (September) for those!

  10. Congratulations! we saw your shawl (I dragged Mum and Flash to admire it, and they actually were impressed) wasn’t impressed with most of the knitting though I’m afraid.
    We had a great time, first time at the show, we avoided the cheese on a stick and other delights, but did see the precision cars and lady cannonball (we’ll see how my photo turned out)

  13. Congratulations on your award! I just knew your shawl would win something. I loved the tour of the Easter Show. Great pictures of the animals. Also, I can’t believe someone knitted a whole table full of food. Are all the plates knitted too? How fun!

  15. Congrats! I can’t believe someone knitted an entire dinner. How funny! The baby animals are so adorable! I love the little piglets with their mom!

  16. Congrats! Personally, I think your shawl is the prettiest… =X The alpacas are so sweet and adorable.. and the koalas looks sleepy. Anyway, looks like you n your family had fun at the show.. Wish we have those here too.

  17. Congratulations !
    As a reward, apple branches are coming. Ok, that is for the bunny, and I promised before you won. Might have to think of another reward for the human 🙂

  19. Ahh well done!!! I looked as soon as we came back from wagga to see how you went and I must have forgotten to comment!!! YOU ARE A TOTAL LEGEND! and what a great photo of em with ehte hat and doll – so happy!! 🙂

  20. Ahh well done!!! I looked as soon as we came back from wagga to see how you went and I must have forgotten to comment!!! YOU ARE A TOTAL LEGEND! and what a great photo of em with ehte hat and doll – so happy!! 🙂

  21. Ahh well done!!! I looked as soon as we came back from wagga to see how you went and I must have forgotten to comment!!! YOU ARE A TOTAL LEGEND! and what a great photo of em with ehte hat and doll – so happy!! 🙂

  22. Congratulations on the commendation, I think yours is better than the winner. Not bad for entry level hey?
    I was hoping to get to see it in person, but time is my enemy this easter.

  23. Many congratulations, Donna. Went to the Show on Sunday and made an unseemly spectacle of myself pushing to the front of the case to see your shawl which was just divine. Loved the colour as well as the wonderful skill displayed.

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