From Farmer Health And Hands-On Ag To Big Brass And Blue Ribbons, Here’s What’s Happening In 2026
It’s showtime!
The smell of show food, the squeals echoing from sideshow alley, Bertie Beetle showbags tucked under arms and pavilion tables packed with entries ready for judging.
The 146th Balaklava Show returns on Saturday, September 26, bringing people together from across the district for one of Balaklava’s biggest days on the calendar.
Looking After Our Farmers
There’ll be a familiar local face doing the official honours this year, with Hoyleton farmer and Nuffield Scholar Claire Catford opening the show.
Claire has spent the past year travelling the world through her Nuffield Scholarship, researching farmer wellbeing and what helps rural communities thrive.
There’s a fitting connection to that work on show day, with the Fat Farmers Health Hub also making an appearance.
The purpose-built ‘clinic in a truck’ takes free health checks directly to country communities, with more than 1,000 checks carried out since it hit the road and 171 people identified as high risk and advised to seek further follow-up.
New Faces Around The Showgrounds
There’s something new for 2026, with Balaklava Show introducing its first Agricultural Learning Centre.
Run by local agriculture students, the hands-on space will give people of all ages a closer look at food production and farming through interactive displays and animal encounters.
Animals Anonymous will add even more creatures to the mix with its own interactive display, while the usual show-day favourites will keep the kids busy with camel rides, the animal nursery, face painting and plenty of action around the grounds.
Show day will have a cracking soundtrack too, with the Kadina Wallaroo Moonta Band bringing its 25-piece big-band sound to Balaklava.
Regulars at some of the Copper Coast’s biggest community events, they’ll be cranking up the brass and bringing plenty of big-band energy to the showgrounds.
Classics And Country Competition
Also new this year is the show’s first Classic & Vintage Vehicle Collection, bringing much-loved machines out of the shed and onto the showgrounds.
Classic cars, vintage tractors, muscle cars, hot rods and motorcycles will all be part of the display, along with a few more unusual machines thrown into the mix.
And, of course, there are blue ribbons to be won.
Has your fruit cake got what it takes? Are your dahlias the best blooms in Balaklava? Or do you have a winning photo sitting on your camera roll?
Inside the pavilions, everything from cooking and photography to flowers, handicrafts and agricultural produce will face the judges.
Out on the oval, Horses in Action will keep riders busy throughout the day, while sheep and cattle face the judges and local growers find out whose wheat, lentils, canola and barley gets the nod.
And among all the show-day chatter, you might hear a few farmers discussing what the weather means for the season ahead.
There’s a long-held local theory that Balaklava Show Day weather is a pretty good indicator of what’s to come.
Fingers crossed for a perfect spring day.
See you at the show!
BALAKLAVA SHOW 2026
When: Saturday, September 26
Where: Balaklava Showgrounds
Gates: Open to the public from 9am
Cost: Adults $15 | Pensioners $10 | Children 17 and under $5 | Children 5 and under free
More info: balaklavashow.com.au
