It’s Ekka time again and here’s my summary of some of the food options which are available:

For lunch, I attempted Longboards’ loaded cheeseburger fries. Alternatively, you can have them topped with slow-cooked BBQ pulled port and cheese or popcorn chicken pieces, gravy and cheese sauce.

There are ample places to grab something to eat with the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion contain 70 stalls. It’s hard to find a seat in this space but at least it’s undercover. Outside the Gourmet Plaza might have some entertainment on stage but you’ll find Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show tastings and then food trucks selling Mexican, yum cha, Italian street food, and Spanish and Thai inspired dishes.

Ekka budget food options include the $2 cheese toastie and the $2 mini hot dog. You can also have some samples at the Woolworths stand.

Strawberry foods

With all the walking, around you’ll do at the Ekka, you will have earned yourself an iconic strawberry sundae. They are made with vanilla and strawberry LICK ice cream made locally and packed with real strawberries. The profits go towards the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation. #iheartsundaes

There are lots of coffee spots but Merlo has limited edition strawberry and cream I love brownies.

The strawberry and marshmallow skewer is delicious with drizzles of chocolate. These can be found in at Berry Delicious.

Ekka Dessert Ideas

Here are some of the dessert highlights this year:

• Cotton Candy Ice Creamery – serve an ice cream cone filled with cotton candy and topped with ice cream and lollies
• Famous Funnel Cakes from the coast are jazzing up your dessert
• Portuguese Custard Tart – based on the traditional recipe consisting of a crème brûlée-like custard, caramelised in a crust of puff pastry

Beverages

On-trend Coffee in a Cone can be found at Coffee Galleria. It’s a piccolo in a chocolate-coated cone – just make sure you drink it fast (before the cone gets soggy).

This year there is a craft beer alley with fridges full of great Australian beer, along with beer educator Matt Kirkegaard and Byron Bay Brewery. Nearby you’ll find Beenleigh Artisan Distillers and a number of different wineries, with tastings.

If you have forgotten to pack a bottle of water, then you can buy one from the RSPCA. It’s a good price and the money also goes to charity.

Charity spots at the Ekka

The Queensland CWA are celebrating their 95^th year with a perfume and stunning print of flowers in a jar. Drop by their Tea Rooms for a Devonshire tea, sandwich or drink. The profits go towards the CWA projects and community, including their Young Leaders program, running the CWA office, Public Rural Crisis Fund and other worthy causes.

Please consider buying a firefighter’s calendar with the money from both going towards the Children’s Hospital Foundation.