Do The Royal Adelaide Show for 100 Bucks

It’s Show Time baby!

The Royal Adelaide Show is back from 31 August – 8 September 2024, and we couldn’t be more excited! But as fellow parents, we know that the thought of a day out at the Show can be a bit overwhelming, especially with the potential for a hefty price tag.

If you’re okay with letting the kids spend the day in the Carnival area, collecting more Showbags than they can carry, and enjoying every sweet treat in sight, your wallet might feel the pinch. But here’s the exciting part: what if we told you that you can enjoy the Royal Adelaide Show for under $100? That’s right! With a little planning, you can have a fantastic day out for a family of four without breaking the bank.

Read on to find out how you can make the most of the Show for just $100 (and yes, your kids will still get to enjoy a ride!)

And let’s just hope the kids have been saving their birthday money, tooth fairy cash, 10-cent bottle refunds, and any spare change they’ve collected – after all, every little bit helps!

ENTRY FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR: $63.50
In 2024, weekday entry is your best bet for the most affordable option. To snag the cheapest tickets, pre-purchase them online here or at any Foodland store. (Hot tip: RAA Members get an even better deal!) Plus, kids under 5 years old get in FREE, so if you’re a family of five with a little one under 5, you’re still covered!

Whoops, there is over half the $100 budget gone just on tickets… however keep reading to make sure you take advantage of the HUNDREDS of activities that is included in your ticket price.

GETTING THERE AND PARKING: FREE

Seriously, work smarter not harder, get family or a friend to drop you in and pick you up. Perhaps you can return the favour to them as well? Not only is this free, you’ll have less walking and waiting around. There are dedicated passenger loading zones along both Rose Terrace and Leader Street.

If this is not possible for you, the cost of transport and parking will vary depending on whether you are travelling in peak or off-peak times. You might consider driving and parking, catching a taxi or rideshare or our pick, public transport. Public transport is a great option with the Adelaide Showground Train Station, Goodwood Rd Train Stop plus multiple buses dropping you right at the door. Check the Adelaide Metro website for details. (Kids under 5 travel free!)

If you need to pay for parking, opt to drive in and park in either the Parklands in Park 21W or Park 22 or at the Netball SA Stadium (with a free shuttle bus to and from the Showground) from $17 for the day. (Depending which carpark you choose).

Ok, you’ve been dropped off and you’ve got your tickets – let’s do this! $36.50 left in the budget for the day – EASY! First up, head to a Show Kiosk (near any entry) to grab a Map – you’ll also find the entertainment program on the back.

ANIMALS: FREE

We recommend heading to some of the animal areas first. All of the animal experiences at the Show are FREE (when we say free, we mean included in your ticket price) and who doesn’t love some animals! Here are some of our top picks:

• The Learning Centre
  An interactive area where you can hold baby chicks, pat animals, watch sheep shearing. You can even feed the baby animals (10:30 am and 3:30 pm) and milk a cow (9:30 am and 4:30 pm).
• Farmyard Nursery
  Kids (and big kids at heart) can cuddle miniature horses, alpacas, goats, and more, including a cow with her calf, a donkey with a foal, and playful lambs.
• Aggie’s Farm
  Kids can become mini farmers, exploring a faux chicken coop, orchards, fishing, and wool shearing. Trade produce for farm dollars and a special sticker.

SNACK TIME: $0
Everyone is probably hungry by now, so give your hands a good wash and sit down to watch some woodchopping while you eat some snacks you brought from home. That’s right – you’re on a budget remember! Don’t forget your water bottles and find a refill station around the grounds.

LET THE KIDS BURN SOME ENERGY: $0
After a quick snack, head over to the Climbing Tree pop-up nature paly space and let the kids expend some energy! This FREE play area, located at Goyder Plaza, features a cubby building zone and nature pods for endless exploration and imaginative play. It’s the perfect spot to get active and have fun in a natural setting.

BOULEVARD STAGE: $0
The Boulevard Stage is located to the north of the Main Arena and has a full program of family entertainment from 11:30am through til 9:15pm daily. Check out The Circus Fireman at 11:30am or Kaleidoscope: A Cultural Cabaret Tapestry (12:30pm), Wham Glam Circus Man (3:15pm) and heaps more – the kids will be up and dancing and YES, it’s all included in your ticket price!

MEET A SUPERHERO, 12pm everyday: $0
Head over to the Market Bazaar and get ready to strike a pose with your favourite superhero at the Gotham Collectibles stand! Snap some photos and enjoy this fun (and FREE) activity. Kids will love it!

LUNCH: $14
Head to the Dairy Food Hall for lunch. With toasties priced at just $3.50, it’s a budget-friendly treat that won’t disappoint. Plus, you can sample a variety of delicious dairy products like cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream while you’re there. It’s the perfect spot to satisfy your cravings and enjoy some cheesy goodness! Four toasties will put your back $14, leaving $22.50 in the budget for the rest of the day. You got this!

HIT THE PAVILIONS: $0

Let’s start with the Jubilee Pavilion. With over 160 exhibitors it’s divided into four major categories: Lifestyle, Kid’s Zone, Home & Outdoor Living, and Hello SA. Any even though we know our wallet’s feeling light, you can still enjoy some window shopping and soak up the latest trends, find fun for the kids, and get inspiration for your home.

Over in the Goyder Pavilion, there’s so much to see and do! Start by checking out the beautiful Horticulture display – it’s always worth a look. And then, the Goyder Stage is a kids paradise with mid-week entertainment running from Monday to Friday! Snap up those mid-week discount tickets and dive into a fantastic line-up of kids’ shows. You’ll catch awesome shows featuring Bluey, Dirtgirlworld, and Kangaroo Beach. How cool is that?

Before you leave the Goyder Pavilion, make sure to swing by the food and wine area for some delicious FREE samples. Perfect for anyone still peckish from lunch!

2 – 6 September
Bluey Live Interactive Experience – 12:00 pm
Dirtgirlworld – Grubby Bucket Show – 4:00 pm
Kangaroo Beach Live Interactive Experience – 2:00 pm

Next up, it’s time to choose your adventure based on your kids’ interests. Will they step back in time or dive into some hands-on fun?

SHOW MUSEUM: $0
For the little history buffs, take the kids on an educational journey at the Show Museum. They’ll explore the lives of early farmers, gardeners, cooks, creators, animal lovers, and winemakers. It’s a fun way to learn about history but might not be for everyone.

GOLDEN GRAINS: $0
If your kids have curious minds, head over to Golden Grains for some hands-on fun! This exhibit is a playground of interactive displays, with a full-time science communicator ready to guide them through exciting activities and learning experiences. We love this one.

TASTE SA PAVILION: $0
By now, everyone might be getting hungry again. Which means it’s the perfect time to head to Taste SA and sample some of the fantastic SA produce on offer. You’ll find Kytons Bakery, smallgoods, olives, confectionery, beverages, baked goods, honey and more! Get sampling and you might even find a new South Aussie favourite.

GRAND CAROUSEL: $16 (for two kids)
Got two kids? A ride each on the glorious Grand Carousel will set you back $8 each, which leaves you with $6.50

SHOW BAGS: From $5 each

Time to breeze past the showbag hall. We love a Bertie Beetle Showbag for $5. If you have two kids who don’t want to share (because who does?) then it might be time to dip into their savings / money box. Did you know there’s actually almost 20 bags on offer for under $6?

It’s around this time of day that you may want to call it a day if you have really young kids and head home. If your kids are older however, it’s worth sticking around for NIGHTSHIFTADL which kicks off from 6:45pm on weekdays on the Main Arena.

NIGHTSHIFTADL on the Main Arena: $0
This action packed night program is a great way to finish off you day at the Royal Adelaide Show. Pull out some more of those snacks that you brought from home and settle in to watch…

– Chicken Run (HILARIOUS) | 6:45 pm, 7:45 pm
– Car Soccer | 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm
– HLS Trick Riders | 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm
– Holden vs Ford V8 Utes Challenge | 7:30 pm, 8:20 pm, 8:30 pm
– AIRTIME FMX | 7:45, 8:45 pm
– and of course the Fireworks | 8:00 pm, 9:00 pm

After this, we anticipate that everyone will be well and truly pooped and ready to head home for bed! So there you have it – the Royal Adelaide Show for *just over* $100. Yes, it means you will need to bring food from home and nope, sadly you won’t be leaving with more Showbags than you can carry, but all in all, we think there is so much value in the ticket prices and it’s EASY to spend a full day at the Show without breaking the bank!

TOTAL SPENT = $103.50 (ok so just a smidge over $100, but we think you’ll agree that is a pretty value packed day at the Show!)

For more ideas, head to our post on Royal Show Tips plus our Top 100 Things We Love at the Show.