The Royal Adelaide Show is back with a bang, bringing together the finest in South Australia’s primary industries for a spectacular event following its successful post-COVID return last year.
This beloved annual event is not just about the thrill of the fair; it’s also where the city meets the country, focusing on the importance of agriculture and the vital role it plays in SA. With the agriculture and agribusiness sector generating a staggering $17.3 billion in revenue and constituting 51% of South Australia’s merchandise exports, there is plenty to celebrate.
School’s Leading the Way in Agriculture
Leading the way and showcasing some remarkable agricultural feats are our state schools. Each year participating schools gather a team of enthusiastic Agriculture students to load up the cows, sheep, chooks, and goats, clean the eggs, gather the hay, and head to the big smoke to show off their wares. Some of the schools competing this year include Balaklava High School, Loxton High School, and Keith Area School with awards for the ‘Schools Pure Bred Heavy Domestic Steer’ being won by Loxton, Balaklava took out first place for Cereal Hay, with Champion Wool Awards won by Bordertown, Wudinna and Lameroo High Schools. And if you’re after some top-notch Bantams, Keith Area School’s Primary school students know all about them, winning multiple awards for their feathered friends.
Aggie’s Farm: An Interactive Learning Adventure
The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) has partnered with the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society to introduce “Aggie’s Farm” in Stirling Angas Hall, where a portion of the hall has been transformed into a child-sized working farm, providing an educational experience for children aged two to ten.
At Aggie’s Farm, children can explore various stations, including a (faux) chicken coop, apple orchard, beehive, and strawberry and potato patches. Along the way, they can collect produce, which they can exchange for farm dollars at the farmers’ market. These farm dollars can then be used to buy animal keyrings, which children can paint at a craft station.
Celebrating Future Agricultural Leaders
A highlight in the Show’s calendar is the Rural Ambassador Award. This award underscores the crucial role of agricultural shows in regional communities and has received continuous support from the State Government through PIRSA for two decades. The Rural Ambassador Award recognizes outstanding young leaders between the ages of 20 and 30 who are dedicated to their local show and community.
This year, between 450,000 and 500,000 people are expected through the gates of the Royal Adelaide Show and just like CEO Will Rayner claims, the show “remains a proud celebration of the excellence and expertise of our incredible primary producers and regional communities”.
For more details about what the Royal Adelaide Show has to offer, click here.
To find out about the multitude of Regional Shows, click here.
