The first show was held in 1823 at Parramatta, 24 kilometres west of the town of Sydney, and the display included horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.
In 1869, the venue was moved from Parramatta to Prince Alfred Park until 1881 when the Government of New South Wales provided land for the Royal Agricultural Society at Moore Park where the show was held for 116 years. In 1998, the Show moved to a new showground in Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush Bay.
The Show has been held every year since 1869 except during the severe outbreak of the Spanish flu in 1919 and between the years of 1942 and 1946 when it was interrupted by World War II. Traditionally, the Show began on the Friday before Easter, was closed on Sundays and Good Friday and packed up the Tuesday following Easter, the Tuesday being "Children's Day" when goods such as show bags were reduced in price.
The Royal Easter Show has a sideshow alley along which are the amusement rides, sideshows and competitive stands. The provided entertainment includes pop music concerts and, in 2007, a staged sideshow program has been introduced as well.
In the evening the NAB Arena becomes the venue for spectacular entertainment which regularly includes the NSW Mounted Police Musical Ride, the Precision Driving display, originally performed in Holden's, but in recent years Toyota's . The entertainment culminates with fireworks.
The Show currently attracts one million people per year and today was the end of the 2013 season.
Personally I miss the show at Moore Park, ironically I felt there was more room and more atmosphere than Homebush Bay. But that's progress and whilst many still attend I have given it away through lack of interest.
Who knows, one day I may go back.
J G S
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