This is the last weekend of Ekka and if you haven’t gotten round to swinging by the Brisbane Showgrounds, first: what are you doing?! And second, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of fun to be had and more than enough time to do it. Check out some of the highlights you can still catch these last three days.
Displays, shows and competitions
Animal Nusery
For any animal lovers out there, the traditional Animal Nursery is open every day from 9:30am to 5:30pm — although be aware that the queue closes at 5pm — and has a variety of furry, feathery and woolly friends for you to snuggle with! From piglets, lambs and goats to chickens and ducklings, this wonderful farmyard houses over 300 animals. And if you’re looking to see something you wouldn’t see in just any pettting zoo, there are also majestic Highland Cows!
📍Animal Nursery
🕖9:30am – 5:30pm
Melville’s Duck Racing
New this year, this thrilling half-hour competition will see a group of bill-iant ducks navigate through obstacles and waddle— ahem, race to the finish line. Quack your hands for superstars like Captain Quack Sparrow and Quacky Gaga!
📍Large Animal Pavilion GF
🕖10am, 11:30am, 1pm, 2:3opm, 4pm
Smurfs Lost Village Live Show
With the new Smurfs movie out earlier this winter, there’s never been a better time to step into the magical world of the beloved blue characters! Join the Smurfs as they help Smurfette discover her role in life and what makes her truly unique in this heart-warming, 30-minute musical adventure.
📍Main Stage
🕖11am, 1pm, 2:30pm
Lights, Camera, Action, Paws!
If you prefer your shows furrier, join professional animal trainer Heidi Mackay for a stunning demonstration of canine stunts, with her four-legged stars captivating audiences with their dazzling displays of skill and bravado. Her animals have appeared in productions as varied as Love and Monsters, Steve Irwin’s only film Collision Course, X-Files, commercials and more!
📍Show Ring
🕖12pm, 1pm
One-time events
Livestock Parade
From the smallest to the largest, you can’t miss these adorable furry and feathered friends strutting their stuff on on Saturday, August 16. Proudly showcasing all livestock on site, you’ll get to celebrate the champions of this year’s competitions and all your favourite animals.
📍Main Arena
🕖12:45pm
Country Music Showdown: Junior Competition
On Saturday, August 16, witness country stars being born at Ekka’s Country Music Showdown, the ultimate search for Queensland’s next country music idol. With musicians aged 12 years and over competing for career-boosting prizes and performing two songs it’s bound to be a foot-stompin’ good time!
📍XXXX Stockmen’s Bar & Grill
🕖9am
Dagwood Dog Eating Competition
Watch people push the human body to its limits as speed meets appetite in the legendary Dagwood Dog Eating Competition on Sunday, August 17! Those hungry for a win will attempt to eat 20 full sized Dagwood Dogs in under 10 minutes.
📍XXXX Stockmen’s Bar & Grill
🕖12pm
AWPA Australian Whipcracking Championships
On Sunday, August 17, don’t miss some of the best whipcrackers in the country showing off their impressive skills at this cracking event! Take in the excitement as you witness some of the most difficult whipcracking routines, with the competitors battling it out to be crowned the Australian Champion of their division.
📍AAM Woodchop Arena
🕖10am, 11am, 12pm
Food
There’s plenty of Insta-and-drool-worthy food awaiting you at Ekka — beyond the tried and true strawberry sundaes, Dagwood Dogs and cheese toasties.
LA Loops
Classic funnel cake gets a sweet-and-savoury makeover with LA Loops finger-licking Hot Honey Chipotle Chicken funnel cake, alongside more classic offerings like Strawberries and Cream, and Biscoff Banana.
Smash Burger
If there’s one trendy food item you can count on, it’s burgers. This year, the evil geniuses at Smash Burger have brought us the challenging Blockbuster Burger — a hollowed cube of bread filled with layers of beef and classic burger fillings. Sink your teeth into it, if you can get your mouth around it!
Darcitos
Sometimes the best snack is just Putting Things On Things, and Darcitos — Dorito Nachos in the bag topped with pulled beef pork or veggie toppings and smothered in Cheese Supreme or Flamin’ Hot flavours — is the ultimate proof of that.
Tanghulu
The latest online craze for those with a sweet tooth, Tanghulu, the glazed, fruity skewers bursting with crunchy flavour will satisfy any craving, and will bring more colour to your Instagram grid!
Rides
There are two-for-one rides sessions every morning from 9:30am to 10:30am in the B105 Sideshow Alley and the Kids Carnival area, so it may be a good idea to sacrifice some sleep this weekend!
Those looking for thrills cannot miss The Joker, the largest and fastest looping ride in Australia, or The Warrior, which towers at an impressive 55 meters and offers panoramic views of the whole festival from the top — if you dare reach it. You can find both at B105 Sideshow Alley.
If you’re looking for something a bit tamer, there are plenty of carnival games, roller-coasters, spinning rides and even a haunted house with your name on them!
🕖9:30am until late
Showbags
Did you even go to Ekka if you didn’t get a showbag? This colourful and whimsical family tradition is offering over 90 new showbags this year with all the latest toys, gadgets, beauty products, treats, sports memorabilia and more!
Prices for showbags in 2025 start at just $5, with more than 80 showbags priced at $10 or less, and 160 showbags available for $20 or under.
EkkaNITES
With monster trucks, motocross, an otherworldly techno didgeridoo performance, and more, you’d think nothing could top these, but the true crown jewel of EkkaNITES is the jaw-dropping fireworks display.
Bigger, brighter, and bolder than ever before, the 2025 Inferno fireworks show ignites the night sky every evening with live pyrotechnics, plus crowd-favourite fire artists Flux and their fire-spinning props and custom-designed pyro effects, adding a fierce edge to the nightly spectacular.
A pyro-musical that blends more than 3,000 effects with new choreography, sound design, and live stunt integration, Inferno is not just a fireworks display, but a fully choreographed arena spectacular, which you’ll want to watch from the Main Arena or on Heritage Hill.
📍Main Arena
🕖7:45pm