Royal Easter Show

Royal Easter Show

March-April; one week during the Easter holiday

The largest and best-attended of the Australian agricultural fairs, the Royal Easter Show was first held in 1822 as a way of promoting the country's agricultural industry and helping people sell their products. Now it attracts more than a million visitors each year and has expanded to include sports competitions, fashion and flower shows, and celebrity performances, in addition to the usual agricultural and industrial exhibits.
The show was held at the Moore Park Showground in Sydney every year from 1882 to 1997, although it was canceled during the 1919 influenza epidemic and during World War II, when the showground was occupied by the Australian army. Sponsored by the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, the Royal Easter Show has been held since 1998 at the Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay and attracts more than 600 exhibitors each year and is similar to some of the larger American state fairs, such as the Iowa State Fair and the Eastern States Exposition.
See also Royal Shows

CONTACTS:
Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
1 Showground Rd., Sydney Olympic Pk.
Homebush Bay, NSW 2127 Australia
61-2-9704-1111; fax: 61-2-9704-1122
www.eastershow.com.au

SOURCES:
GdWrldFest-1985, p. 6