Toowoomba Royal Show: Your guide to 160th event with showbags, entertainment, horse, cookery exhibits
The 160th edition of one of Queensland’s oldest ag shows battled a drizzly start to festivities and attractions on Thursday, but there are still lots of events planned for the evening. SEE OUR MEGA GALLERY HERE
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The Garden City has never let a bit of wet weather dampen its show spirit, and organisers for this year’s Toowoomba Royal Show still expect thousands to flood through the doors over the final two days of the event.
The 160th edition of one of Queensland’s oldest ag shows battled a drizzly start to festivities and attractions on Thursday, with about 15mm of rain dropping on the showgrounds in Glenvale within the past 24 hours.
The remarkable anniversary also coincides with the Toowoomba Showgrounds being selected to host equestrian events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Here’s a preview of the Toowoomba Show from all angles, including our guide to the best showbags:
Olympics looms large over show
The experience of riding on the same arena that will be used by Olympic athletes in seven years’ time was not lost on Gold Coast rider Bianca Vankampen.
The 20-year-old, which won Champion for the Ridden Welsh Breeds Pony class at the Toowoomba Show on Thursday, said the plan to transform the showgrounds into an equestrian centre of excellence was an exciting future.
“I’m really excited, it will be really good for the grounds to get revamped hopefully, get some things fixed up and cleaned up,” she said.
“It might make more people come to the sport, I reckon because it’s closer to home and it’s good for Australia as well.”
The news of Toowoomba’s confirmed inclusion in the 2032 Games sent the showgrounds into a buzz of anticipation, with patrons, stallholders, vendors and organisers overheard discussing logistics and potential upgrades.
Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland (RASQ) chief executive Damon Phillips, who played a key role in developing the bid, said it made the sight of horses showing inside the arena had a different kick to it following the news on Tuesday.
“In the middle of all this wet and all this mud, you still see these guys presenting themselves impeccably and out there competing and being so proud of what they’re doing – it’s a real credit to them,” he said.
“We’ve been promoting the best of the best in agriculture, including horses, for over 160 years.
“I got a fantastic text from Mike Horan, who was the secretary at the time of the RASQ, saying, ‘never in our wildest dreams 40 years ago when we drove out on a dirt road at the end of Glenville to buy a 245 acre horse stud and dairy farm, would any of us have ever imagined it would be home to the Olympics’.
“One thing I’ve found is I can’t walk up the street without people just kind of up and shaking my hand saying, congratulations on the Olympics.”
Revealed: The show events affected by wet weather
Several popular outdoor events at the Toowoomba Show might be cancelled due to wet weather, with the rain anticipated to hang around until the weekend.
More than 15mm of rain dropped on the showgrounds in Glenvale on Thursday, potentially affecting the first day of the show’s evening entertainment.
Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland chief executive Damon Phillips said heavy rain would like lead to the postponing of certain outdoor attractions, including major sideshow alley rides and popular costumed characters touring the site.
“The big rides don’t operate if they get too wet just for safety concerns and then some of the events on the stage, particularly the likes of Humphrey, Bluey and Bingo – those guys can’t get wet,” he said.
“The wood chopping is another one for safety reasons – you’ve put a heap of big blokes and sharp axes and tennis shoes together and make it slippery and look at what could go wrong.
“For the monster trucks, we’ll just have to wait and see — it’s the first night and we want to try and avoid any damage to the arena so we’ll just have to play it by ear.”
But Mr Phillips said multiple outdoor attractions would still go ahead, while also pointing out the litany of indoor events and activities for families.
“We’re still forging ahead and although it looks a little bit wet, we’ve only had about 15mm so far and we keep praying that we get some good luck but it’s definitely still going ahead,” he said.
“Everyone’s set up and they’re ready to go, so we’re looking forward to the people to come and enjoy it.
“There are so many things to see inside as well, with the pavilion and the circus and the nursery has a lot of undercover area as well.
“Horses are forging ahead, beef cattle are forging ahead with judging (and) fireworks and laser lights will go ahead tonight.”
For the full schedule of events and entertainment, head to the website.
The cake that stunned an international judge
Serdar Yener has judged and assessed thousands of cakes all across the world — and one entry at the Toowoomba Royal Show surprised him so much he named it champion.
International award-winning pastry chef was the celebrity judge for contemporary cake decorating the show in 2025, with the section enjoying a massive boost in entries for its 160th year.
The grand champion-winning cake, done by Brisbane entrant Brendan Clem, featured an octagon base with unusual cuts resembling a diamond, with individual flowers and branches used as decoration.
Out of the dozens of entries (and the nine that survived the Monday wet weather to make it to the showgrounds intact), Mr Yener said the cake had done something he hadn’t seen often.
“When we talk about the quality of idea, there are the ideas that we have seen many, many times and are very common, but I judge so many competitions and this is something that I don’t see often,” he said.
“You can see it’s an odd shape, yet at the same time it’s been carved in an odd way, to make this diamond effect.
“That is something they’ve done which is very unusual.
“This is the outstanding level for our opinion — look at the flowers, every one is one arrangement, it’s not just dumping different flowers on the one spot.
“There’s a reason for every single flower and why it is there.”
After Mr Yener and fellow judge Mary Reid awarded it the best contemporary cake, Mr Clem’s piece went on to become Grand Champion and win the Suzie Holt Perpetual Trophy.
Cookery chief steward May Gossow said entries for all sections, both in decorating and baking, were up from last year.
Inside the show bags
This year there are over 100 different Show Bags to choose from including lolly bags and bags dedicated to everyone’s favourite cartoon characters.
Show Bags stall worker Belinda Whitby has been coming to the Toowoomba show for the last 40 years.
As a grandmother she said she loves seeing people young and old enjoying the wide variety of bags.
“The licorice bags are popular with the parents, but the kids absolutely love the Bluey bag and the mega fizz bags,” she said.
“This weather might deter a few people but the diehards will absolutely still come.”
Some of the most popular lolly bags include Darrell Lea, Freddo and friends, Warheads, Jumbo Mega Fizz, and many more.
Some of the other popular bags include Paw Patrol, Bluey, Pokemon, and Barbie.
Bags cost between $5 and $35.
Stall vendors come from far and wide
Stall vendors have come far and wide for the Toowoomba show and Lynn Argent who runs The Candy Van has travelled from Brisbane to Toowoomba for the show for the last five years.
Ms Argent takes The Candy Van to lots of shows across the state including Roma and Chinchilla.
“Its really good to get out into the country and we find that the country folk are really polite and lovely people to chat to,” she said.
“It makes it pleasant to come up here.
“I think even in this weather people will still come out because it’s the only show for the next 12 months.”
Bluey stall runner Erin Cheyne, who is based in Logan does shows across the country, going as far north as Cairns and as far as south as Tasmania and she said the Toowoomba show has one of the biggest showgrounds.
“There’s lots to see and lots to do,” she said.
“It brings the city to the country.”
With the dreary weather Ms Cheyne said she hopes it doesn’t deter showgoers.
“It takes a lot of organisation so if the weather stays like this I hope people still come out and support the show,” she said.
“Besides, everybody loves Bluey.”
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