Royal Melbourne Show

[polly]

I saw the show being advertised. Is it a nice event or is it overcrowded and overpriced?

[Mara]

Hi Polly

Let me put it this way if you are expecting the old Rand Easter Show, you will be sorely disappointed! You will have to walk very slowly to make it a whole day thing, but at the same time, I would say it is something that you should experience, perhaps just this one time, then you will know for yourself. I go to the show sometimes, more for the animals than anything else, I love the animal nurseries, of course, just like the kids, who absolutely love all the animals. Perhaps take a picnic lunch with you, the edibles can be pretty expensive. I also love to watch the arena events, especially when they have the sheepdog trials, wow, they blow me away with their competence! You can find the program and events at the following website, choose your day when there are things on that you will enjoy! The kids always love the diviing piglets!

http://www.royalshow.com.au/

[polly]

Thanks! I am just worried about crowds. After yesterday in town, I realised I am not ready for huge shoving pressing overwhelming crowds. Smaller is better. We still get tired fast. Will a baby, we try not to stay out for more than a few hours at a time. The animal shows looked great and is what drew me to the show. The kids should really enjoy it.

What's the story with showbags? Do you just go pay money and get the bag? Sorry if this is an inane question. Wasn't ever at the Rand Show either

[matman]

HI Polly

We have only been once (our kids were 7 & 5 at teh time). The Show part with all the animals, prizes for the tuisnuiwerheid (pretty sure I spelt that wrong), liek the best cakes, teh best pottery, paintings, crochet, needlepont etc, the wood cutting races etc. We did not find that to busy especially if you go during the week.

Not sure what it is like on weekend.

However the area where they have teh kids rides ws packed and very crowded.

Definitely take your own picnic basket and drinks - buying food there like any of these events, including Rand Show - overpriced and barely edible.

They have lockers you can hire to store all of this stuff.

It is very clean, tidy and well organised.

Show bags - there are some vans parked all over the park where you just queue up to buy your bags, then there is also the show bag mega hall.

This is someting you never had at Rand Show - show bags are a huge thing, best to go online and decide what show bag(s) you want to buy and even decide on backup showbag if the one yu want is sold out. We felt that on the whole the showbags were pretty good value.

The meg showbag hall is a huge warehouse and can get overcrowded - however it is organised that they only allow x amount of people in the hall at anyone time - so as 1 exits another enters.

Definitely pick a day when there are events that the kids will enjoy. I would go again as I enjoyed the wood cutting races and just walking around, but for kids this can be very boring and they wanted to just go to showgrond which is expensive. So we have decided not to go this year - will wait till kids are lder and we can send them off to do there thing and mon&dad will do our thing

I enjoyed it especially if you take your own food and you are going there for the animal, events part of show and maybe buy a show bag or 2 - then it is not bad value for money, you wont be mobed by people (this was our experience - maybe teh day we went we were lucky) , but when you add buying food there and the rides - then it can start to get very expensive

Rgds

Matman