Spend Your EKKA Holiday at The Barracks

The Ekka offers all of the excitement and bright lights that you’d expect when the country meets the city. However after comparing a day out at The Ekka to a relaxing day at The Barracks, you may find yourself reconsidering how you’ll spend your RNA Show Day on the 11th of August.

Getting There
Your day out at The Ekka begins with packing a bag with the day’s necessities and making your way towards your local bus or train station. A short drive away lies The Barracks, with ample undercover parking (free for the first 2 hours) and hardly a line in sight.

The Day Begins
With your wallet in hand, where it will spend a good portion of your day, lining up to get through the Showground gates. Mentally preparing yourself for the mayhem that is the Ekka, running through your days schedule and hoping your carefully selected Showbags aren’t sold out. Meanwhile, at The Barracks you could be sitting down to a cup of coffee and decadent pastry at French Twist.

The Strawberry Sundae
There aren’t many people, young or old, who can get through a day at The Ekka without buying at least one of the infamous Strawberry Sundaes. While Movenpick Ice Cream may not be able to rival on the basis of nostalgia they can definitely compete on taste. Their Strawberry Sorbet combines pureed strawberries with delicate morsels of strawberry flesh to create a creamy textured natural-fruit sorbet with no artificial additives or colours.

Lunch
While the novelty of eating a Dagwood Dog for lunch has a certain amount of appeal it won’t offer you the same satisfaction as a sit-down meal at one of The Barrack’s fine dining options. With The Ekka in mind you may choose a gourmet burger at FAB Fish & Burgers, a wood-fired pizza at Pizzeria 1889 or a mouth watering steak at Hogs Breath Café.

Showbags
The Showbag Pavilion transports you to a world of overpriced novelty toys and treats that could be found in your local Coles supermarket. While The Barracks can’t offer you Bertie Beatles we have created our very own showbag. We are giving away 10 in our next newsletter, valued at over $100 and including an indulgent selection of Bittersweet Chocolates, you definitely won’t find these in your average Showbag. Sign up to The Barracks eNews now for details on how to win a very exclusive The Barracks Showbag.

The Evening’s Entertainment
The smartest move after lugging around oversized soft toys and a few kilograms of candy for the best part of the day is finding a seat in the Community Arena and settling in for cowboys, monster trucks and fireworks. While it’s unlikely there will be a slightly bewildered cowboy wandering around The Barracks, we can promise authentic Australian entertainment. The Palace Barracks Cinemas is currently showing two Australian films, The Waiting City and Animal Kingdom.

Winding Down
On the way home from The Ekka, most people find themselves crammed into some form of public transportation congratulating themselves for making it through the day. Alternatively, after a relaxing day at The Barracks you can head home at your own leisure without having to take a precautionary cold and flu tablet.