Ekka ShowMAG 2018 - from the guys at Chicane Showbags by Chicane Showbags

EKKA TWENTY EIGHTEEN

FOODIEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

TO THE EKKA

ALL THE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE SHOW

+ SHOWBAG SHOPPING GUIDE

CONTENTS 9 totally random things to do at the Ekka The Ekka is the best day out. We should know, we’ve been to 16 in a row! Yep, seriously! Here are our ultimate to-do’s.

All the things to know Ticket prices, opening times, parking and all the other things you need to know.

The Emporium Style Calling all Fashion lovers. You want to head to the Showbag Hall and visit “The Emporium”. We’ve got everything from the Elle Australia Showbag (the world-wide highest selling fashion mag guys!) to the Stella Athletic and the brand new Miss Coco Showbag.

Showbag Shopping Guide Not sure which showbag is right for you? Or maybe you’ve been tasked with shopping for a friend? Check out our handy shopping guide.

The Emporium Beauty The search for the best beauty products is over. The Emporium has everything you need from makeup to skincare!

IMAGE SOURCE: INSTAGRAM

Bertie Beetle Bertie Beetle is not only THE showbag musthave, it’s an institution. Bertie brings a delicious chocolatey/violet crumble honeycomb taste to the mouths of millions every year (with strong flavours of nostalgia mixed in).

Stock up on your fav lollies

Guys, we have something new on offer this year. The Allen’s Pick ‘n’ Mix means you get to choose your absolute favourites.

9-10. 11-12.

A Foodie’s Heaven

With SO much more on offer than ever before, you can choose from upmarket eats right down to the classic dagwood dog. Here are just a few of the stand outs.

Sports, Entertainment + Pop Culture Showbags Check out our range of the ultimate heroes, heroines and characters across comic books, TV and the movies!

TOTALLY RANDOM

Pie burger donut

Have a snowball fight

Fancy a bush dance?

THINGS TO DO AT THE SHOW

Well... virtually anyway! Snow Slingers is a multiplayer virtual reality experience where users will sling snowballs at each other in a chilly snow environment created by Lightweave.

Give this treat from Mick’s Bakery in Gregory Terrace a try. It’s a burger in a pie crust and a beef pie that looks like a donut. Insert scared face emoji here.

The Smashing Bumpkins are a bush dance band combining simple dance step instructions with an energetic performance. Find them at the XXXX Stockmen’s Bar and Grill is sure to get the crowd on their feet.

Drag Queen Bingo Darlings Presented by Priscilla Queen of the Desert musical, the fabulous Drag Queen Bingo is at the XXXX Stockmen’s Bar and Grill on Thursday 16 August at 8.30pm. It will be hosted by Queens Ball ‘Drag Performer of the Year’ Vollie LaVont. Frock up for this one.

Try a lasagne on a stick So bad it’s good. If you’re thinking layers of pasta, meat and sauce held together in a crispy fried casing, then you’re exactly right. Better give it a try, it’d be rude not to.

Dagwood Dog Eating Competition This is exactly as it sounds. There are amateur, professional and celebrity classes. Even if you don’t participate this would be worthy of a watch.

Pig diving is back These brave little piggies will fly through the sky, dive into a pool of water and race each other around a track.

Pat a piglet That’s all. Just do it.

Ride the Rotating Ferris Wheel! The new Star of the Show is Australia’s first rotating gondola Ferris Wheel. Its 32 metres high with 360 degree views. If that’s not enough, the gondola’s rotation is manually controlled by the rider – now that’s pretty cool!

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THE ESSENTIALS GETTING THERE DRIVING Secure Parking has teamed up again with the Ekka to offer Exclusive Rates. Day rates are $25, Evening rates $10 and Weekend / Public Holidays rates are $10 or $15 depending on the parking station. You must book in advance to get the exclusive rates. Book here.

IMAGE SOURCE: INSTAGRAM

OPENING HOURS The Ekka is running from Friday 10 to Sunday 19 August 2018. Gates open 9am daily and close at 8pm – with the exception of Gate 1 on Gregory Terrace which will remain open until late. The Showbag Pavilion is open from 9am to 9pm every day.

TICKETS Big news guys. For the first time in 15 years, the gate price of the Ekka has dropped for the Family Pass! A family pass will set you back $80 (10% less than last year). An Adult Daily Pass is $35 and a Child Pass (5 to 14 years) is $20. Children aged 4 or under are free. The amazing Twilight Pass is back again for a bargain price of $20. Only catch is you can only enter after 6.00pm. For the die-hard Ekka fans out there, there is a 10 Day Pass which gets you in EVERY SINGLE DAY for $100. If you are an adult who is planning to hit the Ekka 3 times or more this is the ticket for you. Or if you are feeling a little bit fancy, you could become an RNA member for an annual fee of $145 (city member) or $130 (country member). You get unlimited entry to the Ekka, access to the members’ grandstand and bar and more. Visit the Ekka website for more.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Avoid the traffic and catch public transport! There are special rates when you present your Ekka admission ticket (either online or hard copy) with Translink travel tickets of $6 return for adults and $3 for children. Special Ekka trains will be running to and from Exhibition Station right in the middle of the Brisbane Showgrounds and dedicated Ekka buses stop close to entry gates.

UBER AND TAXIS It’s only a short Uber or taxi ride to the Ekka from the city. Leave your car in the city and catch an Uber or taxi directly to the Brisbane Showgrounds. First time Uber users can get $20 credit if they use code EKKA18.

INFORMATION CHECK OUT THE EKKA APP TO PLAN YOUR DAY AT SHOW AND OF COURSE, PICK YOUR FAVOURITE SHOWBAGS.

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There is also a range of extras and “Super Days” so checkout the Ekka website for more.

The Emporium Style

Stella Athletic The Stella Athletic includes a Navy Gym Bag, a Grey Backless Tank Top, a Drink Bottle and a Hat or Headphones. Oh and you get a bunch of amazing health food and beauty samples. You know you want it.

$30

Men’s Style

ROXY Girl

$30

The new kid on the block is the ROXY Showbag. Featuring some seriously epic ROXY merch for girls, this one will go quickly!

$28

One for the guys! The Men’s Style Showbag features a Duffle bag and Cosmetics Bag along with Sunglasses and a Belt. Plus you get a bunch of men’s grooming and lifestyle products.

The Miss Coco Showbag is the go-to for fashion lovers. For only $30 you get a Miss Coco T-Shirt Dress, Tote Bag, Sunglasses, a Belt and a hat or Scarf.

$30

Miss Coco 3

Elle Australia

$25

Metallic is so in right now. Introducing... the ELLE Showbag, brought to you by the world's highest selling fashion mag.

$28

Cosmopolitan X MINKPINK

$25

Cosmopolitan Magazine has joined forces with fashion brand MINKPINK to create a doublyfabulous Showbag: Cosmopolitan X MINKPINK. The Showbag combines magazines, beauty samples and a tote bag and accessories designed by MINKPINK.

SHOWPO Yes, cool-girl favourite fashion store Showpo has a showbag at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal Shows. It includes a Tote, a tee, sunnies, a bunch of jewellery and some of our fav beauty items.

Yassss tell me more

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Showbag Shopping Guide YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT THE EKKA WITHOUT THINKING SHOWBAGS. THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT SHOWBAG (OR SHOWBAGS!) ARE YOU GOING TO BE TAKING HOME? WE KNOW THE CHOICE IS OVERWHELMING SO WE’VE PUT TOGETHER THIS HANDY LITTLE GUIDE TO MAKE THIS TOUGH CHOICE A BIT EASIER.

FOR THE FASHION LOVER The only problem for fashion gals is that we have TOO many options. The classic ELLE Australia Showbag is hugely popular this year with a metallic tote (you get to choose your colour!), sunnies or a watch, 2 x magazines and a huge range of amazing fashion and beauty samples. Then there is the Cosmpolitan X MINKPINK Showbag with a beautiful tote and cosmetics bag (or Eco Cup!) designed by the babes at MINKPINK. Oh and we should probably mention the uber cool fashion store Showpo is back with their new showbag which includes a crop tee, jewellery galore AND a bunch of their fav beauty buys. For only $28 you’d be silly not to invest. See more brands

FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE Men are SO hard to buy for am I right?! Well lucky for you we have launched the Men’s Style Showbag which suits guys of all ages! There is a Duffle Bag and Key Ring, Sunglasses, a Belt and so much more. The other great showbag for guys is the Triple M Showbag. You get a Cooler Bag (or Backpack), T-Shirt and a bunch of other Triple M merch. Of course, if music or fashion isn’t their thing, then you can’t go wrong with a Bertie Beetle Showbag! Read more

FOR YOUR MUMMA No one has a harder day at the Easter Show than a mum. Make her day special by getting her the showbag of her dreams. We recommend the Australian Women’s Weekly Showbag which has a handy tote bag, 3 x magazines and a bunch of samples for her to try. If she’s a bit of a cook then the MKR Showbag is another excellent decision - it includes a Cooler Bag, Apron and a choice between a range of epic MKR merchandise - great value AND super useful! (which Mums love). Learn more

Coast to Coast

$26

Honest skincare made from a balance of Australian organic ingredients, native botanicals and essential oils, just as nature intended.

The Emporium Beauty Read more

ModelCo

$28

$26

Nude by Nature

Iconic Australian beauty brand, ModelCo, has developed award-winning tanning, cosmetics, sun care and natural skincare solutions for over a decade.

Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 mineral make-up brand, Nude by Nature, is now available in a showbag!

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You can’t go home without Bertie Beetle

GET SOCIAL WITH BERTIE BEETLE @bertiebeetleshowbags @bertiebeetleshowbags

BERTIE BEETLE WAS FIRST FORMULATED FROM THE FACTORY OF HOADLEY’S CHOCOLATE IN MELBOURNE IN THE EARLY 1960’S. BERTIE BEETLE WAS DEVISED AS A MEANS OF UTILISING THE UNUSED SHARDS OF HONEYCOMB FROM THE PRODUCTION OF VIOLET CRUMBLE. YOU COULD SAY THAT VIOLET CRUMBLE WAS BERTIE’S FATHER! Bertie Beetle first appeared as part of the Hoadley’s Chocolate Showbag in 1963 alongside Violet Crumble and Polly Waffle. This was back in the day when there were 30 odd showbags available, not the 400 you can choose from today. It took a few years before the little guy broke through but in 1972 he did it – a new look Bertie Beetle finally had his own Showbag. From here, there was no turning back. Decades have passed and the legend of Bertie Beetle has continued to grow. Today there are 6 different Bertie Beetle Showbags available at the Royal Shows and now, in 2018 Bertie Beetle has gone digital, yep - you can now buy Bertie Beetle online. Bertie fans rejoice!

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8/3/18 3:18 pm

A Foodie’s Heaven Puffles

T H E E K K A I S HE RE A ND TH AT ME A NS O NE THI N G — TH E DIE T G OE S O U T T HE WIN D O W ! F O R TH E B R AVE , TH E B OLD, AND THE CU R I O U S, TH E 2018 E KKA IS A M U S T VI S I T FOR A NY TR U E FOODIE. There is seriously everything, and we mean EVERYTHING, you could ever imagine. Swing by the insta-heaven hipster food truck park and bar (called Welcome to Bowen Hills), dine at some upmarket eats and tick off the classics like Dagwood Dogs and Strawberry Ice Creams, the choices are endless. Unfortunately, no one has a bottomless pit of a stomach so we’ve pulled together a list of the best (or maybe weirdest/ coolest) options to make the choice of what to eat a little easier. We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again, wear your stretchy pants.

Waffles are out and 2018 is all about Puffles. What on earth are Puffles? Glad you asked because we’ve done the hard work for you (aka googled it). Puffles are a magnificent creation featuring cheesy Hong Kong egg waffles stuffed with mouth-watering toppings like Korean fried chicken and bulgogi beef with Philly Cheese. We’ve labelled this one as “For the adventurous foodie”.

Welcome to Bowen Hills aka Food Truck Heaven Golly gosh Bowen Hills is turning into quite the foxy dining suburb. Lucky for us, a bunch of these are located within the Ekka grounds (score!). Welcome to Bowen Hills (that’s the name) is an indoor/outdoor food van and bar precinct. It’s uber cool and very Melbournesque. It’s located in the Dairy Hall and Sugar Building within the Ekka grounds and has a range of Food vans with a permanent bar shakin’ cocktails and slinging craft-brews. There will be a roster of rotating food trucks including everyone’s favourite, Mr Burger. This one goes to the top of the list.

CocoWhip The healthy soft serve made from coconut water and topped with superfoods like chia seeds and goji berries will be popular with the health nuts again! You’ll find this guilt-free treat on Gregory Terrace.

Ales aplenty at the Bavarian Beerhaus Beer lovers rejoice. The Royal Snack Bar refurbishment is bringing good things with it. Namely, the Bavarian Beerhaus, its newest resident. The German beer-hall offers a sunny beer garden, ping-pong tables and foosball, one of the biggest collections of German draught beers in the whole of Brisbane (alongside some excellent Aussie beers) and oh, yes – delish food! All the classic German foods you’d want to see are on the menu - crispy pork knuckles, chicken schnitzels and German sausages. . And if being inside the Ekka grounds and the Royal Snack bar isn’t enough, the Bavarian Beerhaus goes next level Ekka with menu items such as agwood dogs and strawberry sundaes - but with a twist of course!

Organic Hotdogs? Sounds like an oxymoron but we’re glad it isn’t! The Cleaver’s stand in Gregory terrace will be serving up a Cleaver’s grass-fed organic beef hotdog. Me please.

Eat your way through the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion Dumplings, cupcakes, cheese toasties, beef jerky – there is something for everyone’s taste buds in the Woolies Pavilion. With the loaded fries craze still going strong, Abbiocco Pronto is serving up Italian pulled pork loaded fries with house made tomato sauce, aioli and rocket - need we say more! Oh and we can’t forget to mention the wine, there is a wide range of local wineries offering wine tastings. You’d be silly not to.

more 145,000 are eaten. Do yourself a favour and make sure you are one of them. The profits raised from the sundaes go to Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, a great cause. So eat up!

Cooking School For the first time at The Ekka there will be a brand new Cooking School. There are 60 free classes over the 10 days of the show. The classes are hosted by Chef Daniel Abou-Chedid and a number of other top local chefs and seat 20 people per lesson (with more being able to listen in!). You can choose from classes where you’ll learn things like how to BBQ like a pro, create Raw Desserts and make a Vietnamese salad.

Actual good coffee

Showbags

Kuhl-Cher Coffee, which permanently calls the Ekka grounds home, roast their beans on site and serve the finest house blends and single origins.

Yep, there are even showbags fit for even the pickiest foodie. The MKR Showbag features a choice of branded MKR merchandise including a large Cooler Carry Bag, and a choice of 2 items from a Chopping Board, Salad Servers, an Apron and a Mug Set alongside a range of MKR approved food products. There’s also the Arnott’s Tim Tam Showbag with 5 packs (delish!) and of course, the ultimate showbag for any show-goer, The Bertie Beetle Showbags ranging from $2 to $15.

The iconic Strawberry Sundaes Each year more than 10 tonnes of strawberries are used to make the Strawberry Sundaes, of which

For your entertainment Australian Women’s Weekly $22

Brought to you by Australia’s most iconic and trusted woman’s magazine; The Australian Women’s Weekly Showbag is one of our classics. Choc full of the best women’s mags and a selection of food, household and beauty samples, the AWW Showbag is amazing value!

$18

My Kitchen Rules MKR or Food Lovers, here’s one for you. The My Kitchen Rules Showbag is only $22 but is packed full of super useful (and MKR branded) merch. You get a Cooler Bag Tote, great for picnics or shopping, then you get to choose 2 items from an Apron, Cutting Board, Salad Servers or a Mug Set. PLUS a hoard of MKR approved food products to try.

SEE MORE $28

Home & Away We are crushing on the prints and colours of the Home and Away Showbag this year. For $28 you get a Beach Bag and Towel and then you get to choose between a Cap or Sunnies and an Inflatable Li-Lo (which was too big to even fit in the photo) or a Drink Bottle.