Sun Lion, What's the royal Easter show for us non-Aussies? Is it like royal variety show that they do in the UK?
Sorry to not be clear Skippyboo - and thanks for the link Roslyn - yes, every part of Oz has it's own "Show" throughout the year, though Sydney's always changes dates to be on at Easter time.
It's the "city meets the country" where children get to see lambs being born, (pregnancies timed to be born in front of the audiences eyes!), little pigs run races, cows are milked etc.
Very big part of Australian culture as we're still a food-producer for the world.
(Public Holidays for "Show Day" in Tasmania, early October Thursday for Launceston Show, week or two later Thursday for Hobart Show.)
Sydney Show even has a competition where cattle are judged live, then slaughted and the meat judged.
The "Grand Parades" are where everyone circles around with their alpacas, goats, bulls and cows, machinery, horses, carriages, led by adults or country children, in the main arena that all showgrounds have.
Everyone sits in the grandstands and oohs and aarhs at the moving mass of the local farm animal champions as they all wear their competition ribbons.
There is always an upset with several animals going sideways, or breaking loose, which adds to the colour and drama of it all.
Sydney also has what is called the "Districts Exhibitions" which are large "pictures"of country life, but when you go up close you see they are made from the wool, grains, jars of preserves and fruit and vegetables grown in that district. Very competitive and known to impress many US farm folk who come out and see it.
I don't think we'll see William and Catherine on the Ferris Wheel with their fairy-floss, but I do think they will put in an appearance on at least one day.
Cheers, Sun Lion.
P.S. Fireworks and rodeo each night, cooking and sewing competitions, massed dog obedience displays, precision driving teams, motor-bike daredevils etc. - the whole shebang.
In the "old days" it used to be a chance for the country folk to look at fridges, cars, washing-machines etc, but that has died out as the country is not that isolated these days.
PP.S. I've just seen where Her Majesty's race-horse "Carlton House" is in the hands of one of Australia's famous trainers Gai Waterhouse, and if things pan out, it may be entered in the "Queen Elizabeth Stakes", being run at Royal Randwick on the day W and C are due to attend.
Indeed. Both situations are just people imagining the things they want to believe in.
