The Ekka can be a fun day out but if you are watching your budget, then here are some of our handy tips and tricks.
Before you go, make sure you get the discounts that the Courier Mail offers the week before the Ekka starts. The day beforehand, check the Ekka website to see what’s on and consider downloading the app. Grab a free map at the entrance and head off.
Budget Ekka Food
Look out for the mini hot dogs and the $2 cheese toasties in the pavilion. Try the free samples in the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion. You can always eat beforehand and definitely bring your own water bottle – there are lots of places to fill it up (potentially saving you $7 for bottled water).
I managed to eat dinner twice for under $15. There are plenty of food trucks serving yummy food at affordable prices.
Budget Ekka Showbags
This year there were 66 show bags at the Brisbane Ekka that are $5 or below. These included the ever-popular Bertie Beetle, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Hubba Bubba, War Heads, Milky Way, Nerds, Smiths, Wizz Fizz, and many more.
Select the price drop-down to filter them on the Ekka Showbag page: https://www.ekka.com.au/
It’s best to leave buying your show bag to the last, as you don’t want to carry it around with you.
Free Things To Do at the Ekka
There are lots of free things to do at the Ekka
- Watch the fireworks in the Main Arena – three tonnes worth
- Be entertained by the Woodchop and Sawing Competition in the Iron Jack Woodchop Arena
- Listen to a live cooking demonstration at the Ekka Cooking School
- Wander around looking at the amazing entries in the Channel Seven Pavilion – think artwork, photography, cakes and many more
- Make a flower crown at Flower Crowns by Heritage Bank, or try your hand at origami in the Old Museum
- See Queensland’s best natural fibre fashion in the Nature in Bloom Natural Fibres Fashion Parades presented by Channel Seven
Kids might like these free activities:
- Watch the action in the Main Arena, like beef cattle judging and Showjumping Competition
- See the farmyard animals at the RACQ Animal Nursery, and hold a baby chicken at Cradle-a-chick presented by Australian Eggs (Black Hawk Canine Pavilion)
- Watch the sheep shearing in the Norco Shed
- Dora the Explorer live show
- Meet the friendly pythons at Luke’s Reptile Kingdom – Venomous Snake Show
- Watch the Heritage Bank Racing Pigs battle it out against each other
Free Photo Opportunities
Remember the day with some selfies and photos taken:
- Daisy the cow from Farmyard Friends as she wanders Gregory Terrace
- Kissing under the Ekka Love sign on Gregory Terrace
- Eating a strawberry sundae (price goes to Charity)
- Stand in front of the large produce displays featuring everything from vegetables to grains in the Agricultural Hall
- Near the two-metre-high EKKA letters in the Gourmet Plaza
Please leave your tips below for saving money at the Ekka.
Leave a Reply