The Royal Easter ShowEach year, as Easter swings around, children's thoughts turn to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. For the young ones, it's a time for fun rides and Easter show bag goodies. But really it's an event that many grownups also enjoy.

Annually held for over 80 years now, the Royal Easter Show brings the country to the city. Held over a period of 12 days, the show is designed to present the best in Australian agriculture.

The Royal Easter Show is Australia's largest annual event, showcasing many of the elements that make up Australian culture and heritage.

From the Australian outback to the charms of the bustling city and from top-level competition to the latest in entertainment, the Show has an angle for all. Each year approximately 15,000 competitors make the annual pilgrimage to the Show and submit around 30,000 entries for judging in over 40 competitions.

The 14-day event is an entertainment haven featuring more than 3,000 entertainers who engage audiences with street performances, stage shows, dance, live music, comedy, poetry and large scale productions.

The pigsThe Royal Easter Show offers a unique hands-on learning experience for people of all ages including visiting school groups who can take advantage of specially tailored educational programs. The Show attracts around one million people each year, making it Australia's largest annual event and the sixth largest event of its kind in the world.

But, more than this, the Sydney Royal Easter Show is an annual extravaganza including some of the latest and most heart-stopping carnival rides, rodeo events, motorcycle and skateboarding stunts, livestock races, wood chopping competitions, diving (if not flying) pigs, a variety of parades, fashion shows, food stalls of various kinds, and a showcase of new and popular products.

You will meet all creatures great and small at the Show. From baby bunnies to huge horses, animals of all shapes and sizes make an appearance.

Get up close to the action during a performance or learn about various breeds in one of the many interactive displays.

The best part of the show, that we enjoyed the most, was the The ShowtimeYamaha  MotoX freestyle team Freestyle Team. They where fantastic. Ripping up the ramp in dynamic style, featuring three of the world's top MotoX stunt riders and two specifically designed ramps.  

We got to see the boys test the limits of gravity while they performed a series of jumps and tricks that had us holding our breath and cheering for more. Also performing where the Toyota V6 Hilux Heroes. They where amazing and a must to see.The Freestyle Team

The team entertained us with stunts and formation driving, ranging from reverse flick turns to high speed crossovers. Other stunts included drifting, nose-to-nose driving and vehicle jumping displays. You won't see this kind of driving on the roads!

The Racing and Diving Pigs, Yes PIGS.  Don't miss this action-packed phenomenon, when eight racing pigs compete against each other in this thrilling event.

Then, after the race, make sure you stay to watch Smokey the Diving Pig - the only true Diving Pig in Australia.

The Flying PigsSmokey dives from a platform 4.5 metres high into his own purpose built 2 metre deep diving tank.

When is the Royal Easter Show?

The Sydney Royal Easter Show used to be held from Friday of the week before Easter and ran for two weeks until the Thursday after Easter.

Since 2007, the Sydney Royal Easter Show now opens on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter Sunday) and continues for two weeks during the Easter school holidays.

Events start in the early morning and normally end with an evening fireworks finale.

Where is the Show Held?

The Show is held yearly at the Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay.

Previously it occupied a venue at Moore Park which became Fox Studios and is now the Entertainment Quarter.

Where To Stay

We had the opportunity to stay at the Pullman Hotel.  For the first time, visitors to the Royal Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park could enjoy 5-star accommodation at the new Pullman hotel, which offered us special Showstopper Packages including one night's accommodation for up to two adults and two children, plus full buffet breakfast for the family and up to two adult and two children's passes to the Show.

Just meters from the Sydney Showground, the Pullman boasts stunning interiors, panoramic city skyline views from many rooms, a stylish chill-out lounge bar and plush executive lounge, right in the heart of Sydney's largest sporting and leisure precinct. We could look out our window overlooking the show's many attractions.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is a must for everyone if you happen to be visiting Sydney during the Easter period. The prices for the show are quit reasonable. Being $33 for an Adult and $21.50 for Children. These prices also include all public transport to and from the show on Train, bus or ferry. Family passes are also available. But it is worth inquiring about the many accommodation packages you can purchase that include one or two nights stay as well as travel too and from the shop, breakfast and your tickets into the show. The Pullman is one but there are many others at reasonable cost.

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	Sydney (Eyewitness Travel Guides) author: Kate Hemphill ASIN or ISBN-10: 0756615720