The Royal Show is back, and Perth is buzzing with sugar-fuelled excitement. The 2024 show was tipped to be the biggest yet, with the Cook Government contributing $5.2 million to the event, run by the Agricultural Society of WA (RASWA).

This year’s show features the biggest fireworks and light show in the history of the long-running event. The WA Government subsidised ticket prices, with adult tickets costing $22 and concession tickets $12.50. Children under the age of 15 can get through the gates for free. 

The Royal Show is the biggest community event in Western Australia. Prior to the show organisers said they expected over 350,000 show-goers to flood the gates of the Claremont Showground from the 21 September to the 28 September. 

Lotterywest gave $690,000 to the RASWA, a non-for-profit organisation, to help fund volunteer support and make things easier for people with disabilities, Aboriginal people, and people from different cultures and languages.In all, 15,000 volunteer hours go into the show, with over 300 small businesses benefiting from the week’s fun.

The organisers said that while the cost-of-living crisis has led many families to tighten their belts, this year’s show celebrates the significance of family bonding, disconnecting from technology, and experiencing the world through touch, smell, and taste.

Mayor of Claremont Jock Baker expressed his concerns over the need for families to reconnect. 

“We had television back when my kids were young, but that’s much easier to control than something that a child’s got in their own hand. I think it is vital for linking families together and making families work, as families should do. I feel it is terribly important.”

One of the highlights for this year’s show is the return of the Yellow Brick Road agriculture trail, families can experience interactive exhibits, learn about sustainable agriculture, and connect with the local producers. 

The main goal of the show is to showcase country life to people who don’t feel connected to agriculture. With many West Australian’s living in urban areas and relying on grocery stores for food, the direct connection to where our food has come from has been lost.

Mr Baker said: “If you asked most kids today about meat and where does it come from, they would say it comes from Coles or Woolworths. They have no idea what goes to getting that meat on their table.”

The famous Bertie Beetle chocolate is back after not having enough stock in the 2023 show. With it being it’s sixtieth year anniversary, there are six show bags to chose from. 

Asked about the future of the show, RASWA chief executive Robyn Sermon said: “I think the expansion is to continue to make sure that we offer different experiences each year, so that people come back. We are always looking at our competitions and our layouts to see what we can change up.”