Ekka public holiday to be rescheduled for later in the year

The official Ekka public holiday has been cancelled for Brisbane and will be rescheduled for later in the year.

The Ekka public holiday next Wednesday has been cancelled in Brisbane.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the public holiday, however, would be rescheduled for some time later in the year.

However, the City of Logan has decided to go ahead with the public holiday as planned.

In a statement, the council announced it would “keep its planned public holiday given the late notice to postpone would have created uncertainty for our community and disrupted long-held plans by schools and public transport, residents and business owners”.

Other local government areas are expected to do the same.

Mr Miles said the decision to move the holiday was due to the fact that even if the lockdown was lifted this Sunday, there would likely be restrictions still in place next week that would impact people’s movements.

Queensland this morning recorded 19 new Covid-19 cases - 16 of which are linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.

There are now 63 cases linked to that cluster.

An empty Ekka Showgrounds after Brisbane was forced into lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jono Searle

This is the second year in a row that the Ekka has been cancelled because of the pandemic.

Last year when the show was cancelled authorities moved the public holiday to a Friday later in the year, so Queenslanders could get a long weekend.

Full refunds have been issued to anyone who had already bought tickets to the Ekka.

The RNA told The Courier-Mail earlier in the week it was working through options to see whether some competitions could still be safely judged without crowds down the track and whether they may be able to set up drive-through strawberry sundae and dagwood dog stalls like last year.

Savanah Fisher, 25, packing up the games in Sideshow Alley after the Ekka was cancelled due to Covid-19. Picture: Liam Kidston.

RNA Chief Executive Brendan Christou said he would be seeking financial support from the State Government if possible.

“This last minute cancellation of the Show has broad-ranging financial impacts for our not for profit organisation because we also rely on the Ekka to provide a major part of our revenue,” he said.