The Royal Adelaide Show will go on … but not as we know it

As tickets for the Royal Adelaide Show go on sale, we take a look at how the ongoing global pandemic will change SA’s biggest event.

Royal Adelaide Show organisers are negotiating with SA Health to ensure thrillseekers aren’t short of rides to test their nerve on this year - despite the ongoing threat of Covid-19.

As tickets for this year’s event went on sale on Monday, Royal Adelaide Show general manager Michelle Hocking said about 25 rides based in South Australia were locked in for the event.

But about the same number need to come from Victoria and Queensland, facing the barrier of South Australia’s closed borders.

“We’re currently working with ride operators and SA Health to find a way to bring some of those down,” Ms Hocking said.

Ekka, also known as the Royal Queensland Show, was due to run from August 7-15 but was cancelled amid Queensland’s lockdown.

Harry, 9, Felix, 4, and Banjo, 8, are excited tickets for the Royal Adelaide Show have gone on sale. Picture: Tom Huntley

“For the Queensland rides, it’s just a matter of them coming down and being able to isolate for 14-days. If they can do that within the next few days, especially now Ekka’s been called off … then we’ve still got two weeks to set up and do all the checks that happen with the carnival rides,” Ms Hocking said.

“It’s all still really doable.”

The Ferris Wheel.

This year’s event, from September 4-12, will feature a traffic light system with red, amber and green lights on the show’s website and displays at the showgrounds showing how full major pavilions are.

Organisers plan to welcome up to 50,000 people at any one time to the event, which will also feature wider aisles in pavilions, QR codes at entry points, extra cleaning and hand sanitation stations to remain Covid-safe.

Adult tickets will be $5 cheaper on weekdays, to help even out showgowers across the week, and attendees need to nominate the day they will attend when they buy their ticket.

“When tickets went on sale there was an absolute flurry on our website,” Ms Hocking said.

“People are very excited to have a show this year. We definitely missed having it last year and if we weren’t able to have it this year as well there’d be a lot of disappointed South Australians and businesses too.”

Competition is still strong among events, although the New Zealand wood-choppers won’t be at the showgrounds this year, nor will there be competitors from NSW and possibly Queensland. But, Ms Hocking said, the bulk of show competition competitors come from SA and Victoria.

She said the Show provided employment for 7000 people each year, and generated $170m gross economic impact.

Tickets can be purchased at IGA and Foodland stores.

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Originally published as The Royal Adelaide Show will go on … but not as we know it