Free food, cheap rides and tickets: How to score massive Ekka discounts

From last days sales to discounted tickets, cheap rides and free food. Here’s how to score big discounts at the Ekka.

See the full list of Ekka discounts. Photo: News Corp Australia

From last days sales to discounted tickets, here is the complete guide to doing Ekka on a budget as cost-of-living increases.

Organisers have cost-of-living at the forefront of their minds this year for families feeling the pinch. Several deals will be available with Super Saver Day’s at the Ekka and also ways to get 20 per cent off food and rides.

TICKETS:

Pick up The Courier-Mail on Saturday for 15 per cent off full-priced Ekka tickets with a special code.

Ahead of the Ekka those that subscribe to ekka.com.au will be able to receive discounted ticketed offers.

Until Ekka eve, tickets will be 15 per cent off and after that they will be 10 per cent off.

If you attend on a Super Saver Day you could receive 20 per cent off tickets.

Those days include August 14, August 15, August 17 and August 18.

Ekka subscribers will be able to receive 15 per cent off on top of the 20 per cent off on the Super Saver days.

There will also be $24 entry valid from 4pm on day of entry called the Twilight ticket.

RIDES:

Between 9.30am and 10.30am every morning there will be two for one rides at the B105 Sideshow Alley and Kids Carnival Area.

There are also opportunities for discounts on rides with a digital only ride card.

Ekka offers 20 per cent off digital only $150 ride cards and 15 per cent off $100 only ride cards

Here’s how to get cheap ride tickets. Picture Lachie Millard

FOOD:

Cheap foods:

For just $3, kids can fill up on a classic cheese toastie from the Melt Brothers Toasties Boys who will be set up near Gate 1 on Gregory Terrace through the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion.

The Queensland Country Women’s Association will also be serving scones with fresh jam and whipped cream.

One scone with jam, cream and a tea or coffee will be $8.

While one scone will be available for $5.

Samples of foods will also be available at the Woolworths Fresh Food

A delicious watermelon dish from Ekka. Picture: Jerad Williams

Ways to get a discount on food:

Customers who opt for a digital food card can get 10 per cent off their food.

Food cards can be downloaded to their e-wallet for scanning.

On Super Food Sunday - the last day of the show - on August 20 there will be two for one food items from almost 100 retailers including German sausage Hut, Calamari Brows, Wonder Bao, Hoy Pinoy and Sushi Hub.

James Webb, winner of the Ekka 2022 Dagwood Dog Eating Competition. Picture: Richard Walker

TRANSPORT

While public transport will be available, there will be Ekka night parking options from $10 at Secure Parking.

Parking will be available at Valley Metro carpark, 4 Mead Lane Car Park, McWhirters Car Park, Chinatown Car Park and 388 Brunswick Car Park.

Book on the Secure Parking website or the App “Parking for Ekka”.

See the full guide to Ekka transport here.

SHOWBAG TIPS

This year there will be various showbags available on a budget with nearly 100 bags $10 or less.

Bags $5 or under are the Wizz Fizz Lil Fizz Bag, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Caramello Koala and Warning Raging Sour Showbag.

Checking out the showbags before the arrival will also allow you to get you to know the cost before you arrive so you can plan.

Full list here.

Check out the full list of showbags above. Picture: Richard Walker

SALES

Retailers around the grounds will sell their produce at discounted prices on the last day of the Ekka.

Be sure to look out for bargains as you walk around the showgrounds.

Fruit and vegetables will be available at the Agricultural Hall.

FREE PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

This year there will be free bandages handed out from St John’s Ambulance.

Caps, stickers and pens will be handed out by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

TransLink will hand out sunglasses and Norco Foods will hand out hats and toy trucks.

Crime Stoppers Queensland will hand out water bottles and keyrings and Queensland police will hand out magnets, pens and water bottles.

There’s plenty of free activities including the dog show. Picture: Zak Simmonds

FREE ACTIVITIES:

More than 70 per cent of the Ekka will be dedicated to free activities.

More than 300 free things will be available each day from fashion parades, concerts, competitions, food and wine sampling and free kids shows.

Kids will be given fresh flowers and the necessary craft materials to make a flower crown.

It will be a free and fun activity for the kids.