Melbourne Royal Show launches with Show much more in 2024!

Bringing Victorian farming and agriculture to the city through over 100 free activities and experiences including more animal experiences, blue-ribbon competitions across horses, beef cattle, sheep, alpacas, show dogs, woodchopping, arts, crafts and cookery, showbags, rides, and suite of delicious food and beverage treats, will be available.

Starring in this year’s Melbourne Royal Show marketing campaign is nine-year-old Show enthusiast, Mac Martello. Mac beat hundreds of other Victorian school children to be crowned the official 2024 Face of the Melbourne Royal Show, and he will make a series of appearances over the 11 days of the event.

Brad Jenkins, Melbourne Royal Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said: “We are so excited that there are less than 50 days to go until the opening day of the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show. This year’s program has been carefully curated to appeal to visitors of all ages,and offer even greater value with discounted ticketing promotions and up to 12 hours of fun, thrills and excitement each day.

“There’s incredible new attractions and entertainment offering greater value including loads of free activities, with family fun and farm adventures by day, and delicious food and specular entertainment by night. But the true stars of the Show are the livestock and their handlers, show horses and their champion riders, championship dogs and their owners, skilled woodchoppers, and arts, crafts and cookery, all competing to win a coveted Melbourne Royal blue ribbon.”

Top 10 unmissable things to see, do and experience at the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show

• New Sushi Hub Superdog Spectacular – the ultimate high flying and agility canine show!
• New Airtime Freestyle Motorcross Stunt Show featuring motorbikes and BMX riders performing gravity-defying stunts
• New Animal Farm experience like no other to feature one-year-only in celebration of 60 years of the Animal Nursery
• Spectacular New fireworks choregraphed to music, plus New After Dark entertainment that will light up your night including country music artists and a Fire & Light Show
• New Kids Entertainment Theatre with live shows – 11 performances every day!
• Loads more animal experiences –get up close and pat friendly farm animals including goats, pigs, alpacas, ponies, dogs and more!
• More new delicious food experiences and options – 80+ outlets, plus the New Good Fortune Garden
• New rides – thrillseekers can enjoy the latest and greatest rides, including The Phoenix and Wave Swinger
• Cheer on the stars of the Show – the thousands of animals and competitors vying to win more than 2200 coveted Melbourne Royal blue ribbons – from cattle, sheep, and alpacas to horses in action, championship dogs, woodchoppers and more
• Showbags galore –Explore more than 350 different showbags in the biggest Showbag Pavilion in the Southern Hemisphere.

Agriculture

This year’s agriculture heritage milestones pay homage to the 60th anniversary of the iconic Animal Nursery. To celebrate, the Animal Nursery will feature over 250 cuddly animals,and will feature a special new surprise experience for visitors this year, while the 90th year of the time-honoured Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout will also be celebrated.

For the first time this year, the Show will welcome an array of new free agricultural events and activations including Working Clydesdales and Australian Wildlife Show demonstrations.

The Melbourne Royal Show invites budding farmers to visit the PURA Milking & Shearing Experiences in the National Storage Retail Pavilion and try their hand at sheep shearing and milking cows, as well as orchard picking and egg gathering. The Livestock Pavilion plays host to sheep, cattle, alpacas, and fleece as they compete for blue-ribbon glory, and will feature arguably the world’s cutest sheep, the Valais Blacknose for the first time in the Melbourne Royal Sheep Competition.

Entertainment & Fireworks

See the new Sushi Hub Superdog Spectacular, showcasing Australian Champion Dogs across four 30-minute shows each day at Town Square. There is also plenty of entertainment just for the kids with the new, undercover Kids Entertainment Theatre offering 11 shows across each day of the Show, featuring Sesame Street: Elmo’s Circus Dream, the ever-popular Paw Patrol Live Show and Gabby’s Dollhouse DJ Dance Party.

When it comes to After Dark entertainment, back by popular demand is the spectacular nightly fireworks display. Each night showgoers can enjoy the bright lights and interactive entertainment, including the famous Chicken Run around Main Arena, performances from Australian country music artists, and a new Fire and Light Show by renowned Yidaki player, Emdee, to close out the Show every night.

 

Food and Beverage

Foodies will have their choice of delicious delights with the introduction of a new Asian-fusion inspired precinct, the Good Fortune Garden, featuring savoury and sweet treats from Gong Cha, DeMochi, Shandong Mama, Miss Wonton Gold Coin, Nomi Katsu and favourites Hoy Pinoy. Popular Atlas Dining chef, Charlie Carrington, joins the team at Coca-Cola Eat Street with Little Havana offering Cuban-inspired cuisine along with Japanese sensation, Mr Miyagi.

The iconic Country Women’s Association (CWA) will return with their famous scones with jam and cream, alongside other baked goods, preserves and breakfasts classics. Plus, St Remio Coffee will be available across the Showgrounds, with each cup helping them fund projects to support female coffee growing communities.

For showgoers looking for a bite on-the-go, quintessential Show favourites include dagwood dogs at KIIS Neon Laneway, food truck classics in Graze, Sushi Hub, famous Wonderpies at the Wonder Pie in the Sky, and Twistto’s iconic chip on a stick. New offerings feature Fluffy Crunch Fairy Floss and ‘Flurritos’ and thirst-quenching milkshakes from the PURA Milkshake Bar. More food options include classic $4.00 cheese toasties for the best value-for-money treats while exploring the grounds.

 

Show Favourites

Arts and craft lovers can be inspired by the 4000-plus creative exhibits in the Melbourne Royal Art, Craft & Cookery Competition by talented artists, crafters and home cooks vying for a coveted blue-ribbon at the Spotlight Makers Pavilion. All of your favourite traditional pieces will be on display, including decorated cakes, preserves, apple pies and toys, while new classes for 2024 include dog fashion, live judging of scones and the “Have a Go” competition for pop culture craft.

Thrillseekers will scream with the addition of new rides including The Phoenix, and Wave Swinger, while more than 350 showbags will be on offer from fan favourites Bertie Beetle to Bluey and AFL teams.

 

Ticketing

Melbourne Royal will be offering a massive 15,000 tickets for $15.00 each, to attend across Monday 30 September to Wednesday 2 October, available for purchase from midday (AEST) on Thursday 8 August.

Those who want to plan ahead can take advantage of early bird tickets available from today at midday (AEST) until 10.00pm (AEST) Sunday 22 September at royalshow.com.au with 15% discounts on adult and 10% discount on junior, concession or family tickets. Full price adult tickets will be $49.50 per day and $35.00 for concession holders, with children 4-years and under free. Children aged 14 years and under will be $26.00 with children 4 years and under free.

The Melbourne Royal Show will offer their best value package for families, with two adults and two children available $99.00 (or $89.00 at the early bird) rate. Visitors also have the option to purchase a Melbourne Royal Membership for $99.00 which offers a two-day entry pass for two people, plus other exclusive benefits and privileges.

Those looking to experience the Show at night will have access to The Show After Dark tickets for just $30.00 for adults, $16.00 for children 14 years and under (children 4 and under are free). These ticket holders will have access to the Show any time after 5.00pm and experience up to four hours of entertainment for a fraction of the price of a full day ticket. All tickets are available to purchase online at royalshow.com.au.

 

Getting to the Show

Taking the train is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to get to the Show, with Metro running services every 10 minutes in and out of the Showgrounds during morning peak times from Flinders Street, Southern Cross and North Melbourne Stations. Service starts at 9.25am, with the last train to the city departing Melbourne Showgrounds at 10.40pm.

Other transport modes include Tram Route 57 with extra services across every day of the Show and bus routes 404 and 472 which will travel regularly to the Melbourne Showgrounds. Parking is available at Flemington Racecourse for $30.00 per day, with limited “accessible “parking available within the Showgrounds for $30.00.

Melbourne Royal are also committed to improving the event experience for people with a disability through the provision of a range of bespoke facilities, amenities and services including additional accessibility parking, participation in the Sunflower program and enhancing the ONCALL Quiet room to provide a welcoming, serviced quiet and sensory room space for patrons who may find themselves needing to take time away from the crowds and noise to relax, regroup and recharge.     

 

To purchase ticketing and for more information on the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show visit royalshow.com.au