Brisbane Ekka People’s Day draws 65,000, record attendance tipped

After a massive People’s Day the Ekka is on track for a 400,000 total attendance figure, which would exceed pre-Covid-19 levels.

Ekka organisers are predicting a “record show for many years” after more than 65,000 people flooded the Brisbane showgrounds on People’s Day, exceeding expectations.

From the start of the show to 11am, more than 30,000 people had already entered the showgrounds.

Lines were queued from about 8am forcing organisers to start letting people in early.

Organisers prior to People’s Day were hopeful they would get to 60,000 but the number smashed what was predicted.

RNA president David Thomas said he expects more than 400,000, which exceeds pre-Covid-19 levels.

So far there have been more than 240,000 people since the start of the show.

“We’re back to pre-Covid levels plus some. I think that everyone is so pleased we no longer have restrictions, they’re so pleased that they can get out with other Queenslanders,” he said.

“They’re so pleased that the Ekka is back to normal and I think they’re supporting us which is really wonderful.

People’s Day packs them in at the Brisbane Ekka on Wednesday. Picture: Adam Head

“And we’re all having a great time. I think we might get more than 400,000 people this year, which would be a record for many years, that’d be wonderful.”

Many parents said they arrived to experience the two-for-one rides in Sideshow Alley between 9am and 10.30am.

Simon, who arrived with his wife and children almost an hour early, said the family were excited.

“We got here so we could get the two for one rides from 9 to 10.30am,” he said.

“The kids have never been before.”

For most of the day there were queues to get into the animal pavilion, rides and food stalls.

Mr Thomas said many people were using the two-for-one rides.

“We’ve had a lot of people coming in the morning. We tried to make sure the Ekka is affordable,” he said.

“One of the ways to do that was to allow the rides in the morning so that’s been really popular. But this morning, the crowds were really building up at the gates and we don’t want people to wait so we opened a bit early – some gates were open at 8.30am.”

Sideshow alley rides were a traditionally popular drawcard. Picture: Adam Head

Among the guests was Opposition Leader Peter Dutton who avoided eating any food, a year after a photo of him eating a dagwood dog went viral.

“Against the advice of my staff I ate a dagwood dog last year and I noticed today the number of staff has doubled from last year,” he said.

“I know I’ll be physically dragged away from food.”

Many attended the Ekka on People’s Day to watch the Grand Parade.

The Grand Parade was packed with many watching the winners in competitions throughout the week.

Melanesia Carson’s two daughters, Ada and Clementine, won multiple food prizes for fruit cake, Anzacs and marble cake.

Ms Carson said her daughters were ecstatic to walk in the parade. “Ada is usually a bit shy but she was very excited, she had her country girl shirt on and was ready to get out there.”

The show wrapped up early for people to watch the Matildas. The showgrounds were open until the game was over.

Mega-gallery: The Ekka 2023 in pictures

VIEW GALLERY