10 Tips for Surviving Cairns Show Season with a Family

Cairns

Jul 15

It’s Show season in Tropical North Queensland!!!

Every July Cairns hosts Queensland’s biggest Agricultural Show outside of Brisbane’s EKKA. Cairns Show has 3 days of exhibitions, competitions, events, extreme rides, show bags and show food – it’s enough to strike fear into the core of every parent. Here’s my 10 Tips for Surviving Show Season with a family……

1. Don’t Go!!

This was our tactic early on when we realised that the Cairns Show not only left a huge hole in our wallet, but put the kid’s into some sort of sugar frenzy and caused them (and us) to have meltdowns half-way around.

Initially there was a time when the kids didn’t actually realize there was a Show in town, BUT now they’ve cottoned on to the fact we have opted to give them a few choices.

Camping is a great one as Show week is always a 3-day weekend. Another option is to choose a smaller Regional Show that’s happening before or after the Cairns Show - these events are not always as busy, are often cheaper to enter and can give your kids a better insight into the community vibe that occurs during show time.

Regional Shows and Events that work for us around the time of Cairns Show Week are:

Mareeba Rodeo: For an insight into rodeo antics, outback life and a glimpse of some real cowboys and cowgirls.

Malanda Show: Great one for dairy cattle displays and horse events.

Atherton Show: All about the produce and farming life on the Tablelands.For

More Info click HERE.

2. Save up Steadily

Start putting $$ away at the start of the year. Create a slush fund for ‘show’ time and that way when you do spend the money it won’t be placing a HUGE dent in your family budget for the week.

3. Get the Kids to Bring their own Money

In an attempt to teach our kids the value of the dollar we insist that they bring some of their own money along on Show Day. This helps stop some of the haemorrhaging from our own wallets at every opportune moment.

**Side Show Alley is the main attraction for our kids**

Sure we buy our kids some things - a show bag, some rides and games, food and drink treats and of course their entry ticket, BUT the rest is up to them. It’s worth monitoring how much money they bring on the day though - my son would loot his whole school bank account if it was possible.

4. Buy your tickets prior

Cairns Show always offer deals leading up to Show Day. You’ll find several shopping centres around Cairns selling entry tickets for less, as well as a booklet of tickets for Side Show Alley (which includes rides, games and food). These deals can make a difference to the amount of $$ spent on the day. Click HERE for more details.

5. Take your own Food

Lets face it. Show food can be pretty ordinary. If the kids have their fill of what’s on offer we feel the repercussions for days in our household. Yes, we let them have some stuff that’s a little bit ‘special’ BUT I still like to know they’ve eaten something semi-decent on the day. A cheese toastie, a piece of fruit and some plain water are always good to have on hand on show days.

6. Go Early!

Mornings are always best - fewer queues and hardly any crowds. From midday onwards the numbers tend to pick up and of course evenings are super popular with the older kids. As a mum of a young family I haven’t even attempted a night-time show visit. I’m happy to leave this one until they’ve hit their teens.

7. Wristband and photograph your child prior

**You’ll always find something a little ‘different’**

Plant some ID on your children - even if it is a big black texta marking with your mobile phone number. Cairns Show offers wristbands which you can write your contact details on. You can pick the wristbands up at the main gates, from the police stand or from the Parents Room in the Fred Moule Pavillion.It’s also worth taking a quick ‘family’ pic before you enter the showgrounds. It’s a great reminder as to what your kids are wearing just in case you loose sight of them for a moment or two. I find it’s also a handy reminder as to what my partner is wearing, as he’s the one more likely to wander……

8. Grin and Bear It!

Shows are where childhood memories are made. I can still remember the ‘toys’ (as tacky as they were) that I won at Side Show Alley as a kid, the rides we went on as a family and the constant parade of animals and competitors that went by in the main arena.

The highlights for us are the weird and whacky things we stumble across that you won’t find in your average shop. Plus, each year our kids seem to get a little braver when it comes to tackling the rides. Gone are the teacup, carousel and tiny train rides that they went on as toddlers. Now they have discovered rides such as the ‘vortex’, ‘graviton’ and ‘kamikaze’ that they insist we all try together, and they even give the dodgem cars a spin by themselves now.

9. Do Something You Enjoy

I always make a B-line to the exhibition halls to see the photography, craft and cake displays – I love seeing the quality of stuff that has been created and produced by our community. The animal (cattle, goat, bird, etc) displays have remained a favourite for the whole family, and my partner is always keen to take in a wood-chopping demonstration. I try and knock these over early in the piece so the big kids get to enjoy the show as well.

10. Take the Money!!

This is for the diehards that would prefer to give the whole thing a miss – and trust me there are a few parents I know that will fall into this category. Give the kids a choice - let them choose between the $$ you would normally spend on an average show day OR go to the show and spend it.

I know a few kids in our neighbourhood that are $100 richer at the end of a Cairns Show week. Not mine though – so far they have ticked the show option and I guess we’ve been a lot richer for it (not in $$$$$ though ;) )

Are you a Show Lover? What’s your favourite thing to see or do? Any other suggestions to help others survive Show Week.