The annual EKKA Show, a unique festival in Queensland, is here! The EKKA website provides a very clear and detailed event guide, divided into sections for competitions, performance guides, food shops, and maps, all easily accessible. Since some events might overlap, it’s best to plan your time if you want to catch multiple performances and competitions. While the EKKA grounds aren’t too large, the heavy crowd can make walking and waiting in line take longer than expected.
We started our visit on Sunday afternoon. Since we had lunch beforehand, we only bought the iconic EKKA strawberry ice cream and a few other snacks. The strawberry ice cream truly lives up to its reputation as one of EKKA’s featured treats.
Activities at Ekka we think are worth experiencing
First is the popular Animal Nursery, where you can cuddle adorable animals. It’s best to allow about an hour for waiting in line.
Next, at the Large Animal Pavilion, you can try making butter and cream, and even milk a cow under staff guidance. For those who love wild animals, you can see small crocodiles, pythons, and lizards at King Street. With staff assistance, you can also hold them and take photos.
The activities at Hub were the most interesting. It’s divided into several areas. At the Cat Precinct, you can watch traditional sheep shearing tools and machines in action. Unfortunately, we caught the tail end of the event, but my friend was lucky enough to get a large piece of wool from the shearer! There’s also a cat competition where judges give commands, and the cats are scored based on their responses.
At the Dog Pavilion, there’s a small dog competition, with different breeds competing each day. We watched a competition of small breeds, where seven or eight dachshunds competed together. The dog owners lead their dogs around the arena, performing specific actions for the judges to score, with champions selected at the end. If you love dogs, don’t miss this!
The fireworks
The fireworks start around 7:40 PM every night. If you only want to watch the fireworks show, you can buy tickets for entry after 5 PM, which are much cheaper.
Date: August 10th – August 18th
Time: 9am-9pm
Address: Brisbane Showground, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills
Tickets: Students $29.9, Adults $39.9 (20% discount on select dates)
Transportation – Take the train to Fortitude Valley, Take the bus to Herston (there’s a Ekka bus available now). If driving, there are four parking lots nearby to choose from
Tips you must know before you go to Ekka
Buy tickets on the EKKA website. Some dates offer a 20% discount when you book directly. If you’re a student, book a student ticket and bring your student ID just in case. Student ticket: $29.9, Adult ticket: $39.9
Ideal entry time: 1-2 PM is fine if you’re not into amusement rides. If you’re bringing kids for the rides, it’s best to go early.
Don’t forget to grab a map at the entrance.
Fireworks start around 7:40 PM each evening. If you just want to see the fireworks, you can buy tickets for entry after 5 PM, which are much cheaper.
Food: Must-try the strawberry sundae and the spiral fries—so good! Highly recommend the steak from Royal Queensland. The Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion has plenty of food stalls, including sushi, burgers, and other fast food.
Apply plenty of sunscreen, wear a hat, it’s very sunny during the day, Although do bring a thick jacket, it gets very cold at night during the fireworks.
If you’re planning to go on the rides, buy a package deal from the website, so you don’t need to buy individual tickets once inside!