The best things in life are free, and nowhere is this more true than at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
When the Sydney Royal Easter Show opened last Thursday, I was among the first through the gates to see what this year’s edition had in store. Now in its 28th year at the Sydney Showground, the iconic event is back bigger than ever, with more carnival rides, wacky eats, traditional rural competitions and plenty of adorable farmyard animals.
Unfortunately, opening day was anything but smooth sailing. The Show’s app crashed, meaning thousands of visitors were unable to access their pre-paid Carnival Fun Pass credits. Anyone desperate to go on the rides had to join the huge line to buy a physical fun pass and load up even more of their dollars on that.
We all know that the Easter Show can be very pricey, especially when you factor in the carnival rides and the fairground food. What most people don’t realise, though, is that the best things to do at the Easter Show are completely free.
Here are my three favourite free things to do at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2026, which won’t cost you a single cent.
1. Watch the woodchopping competitions
Did you know that the Sydney Royal Easter Show is known as the “Wimbledon of Woodchop”? Originating from Tasmania, the sport is one of the Sydney Royal Easter Show’s original traditions, debuting in 1899. Fast forward to today, the Show brings over 150 top competitors from across Australia and the globe, battling for glory, prestige, and major cash prizes.
One of the best things about the woodchopping competitions is that they happen daily, running approximately every 10 minutes except during lunchtime (12:30pm-1:30pm). This means you can nip into the Charles Moses Woodchop Stadium and watch some of the world’s most skilled woodchoppers in action.
This year, seven world titles will be decided at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, including the 375mm World Championship Standing Block on Sunday, April 12, the 325mm World Championship Tree Felling (Friday, April 10) and the Manny McCarthy Memorial 375mm World Championship Underhand (Thursday, April 9).
My advice? Grab a fresh lemonade from a nearby stand, find a good spot, and settle in to watch the events. My favourite has to be the standing block competitions (flying woodchips, swinging axes, and all the action make it unmissable), but every event has its own unique excitement and is worth the visit to the Woodchop Stadium.
2. See talented pups compete at the Sydney Royal Dog Show
A day out at the Easter Show is incomplete without a trip to the Advance Dog Pavilion, where pooches compete to win best in show in several adorable categories. Each year, the Show attracts more than 3000 entries from over 200 different breeds, with the program including competitions in conformation, obedience, agility, rally, scent work, trick dog and more. The annual event is recognised for its rigorous judging and prestigious “Best in Show” and FCI International conformation titles.
I dropped by the Dog Judging Lawn (located next to the Advance Pavilion) and saw an adorable obedience show featuring some very good boys and girls. You can also wander through the Pavilion and get a look at the behind-the-scenes, as the dogs relax and get pampered by their owners, pre- and post-performance.
The “Best in Show” presentation will take place from 2pm on Sunday, April 12, so if you want to see which pups made it to the podium, drop by Dog Judging Lawn and celebrate the finale of the multi-week competitions.
3. Check out the cake comps
Nothing says wholesome fun like checking out some of the incredible, artistic cakes entered in various competitions at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Giving the Great British Bake Off a run for its money, the Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show includes a perishable cooking comp, where baking and cake decorating are judged by a strict panel looking for nothing but perfection.
The NSW Rich Fruit Cake Competition is a big deal, with this year’s gold medal going to Adine Boehme from NSW’s far south coast. The competition requires contestants to follow a set recipe to create a 20cm by 20cm rich fruit cake, with top bakers entering from all over the region. The finalists’ cakes are then displayed at the Arts and Crafts Pavilion, where showgoers can judge for themselves who has the best cross-section and golden colour.
My favourite competition is the Cake Decorating Competition, which sees entrants transform boring sponges into incredible, colourful, and sometimes hyperrealistic creations (it almost turns into a game of “Is It Cake?”). Winning this event is a highly prestigious achievement for Australian cake decorators, and plenty of showgoers will flock to see the stunning creations, which are judged in their specific categories, including professional, amateur, and novice levels.
The creativity on display, paired with incredible attention to detail, keeps me coming back to the cake competitions year after year. It’s a true celebration of NSW’s finest produce and the remarkable skill of its cakemakers. The Arts and Crafts Pavilion is also the perfect spot to take a break, whether you’ve had too much sun or just want a quiet moment away from the noise and crowds of the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
To find out more about the Sydney Royal Easter Show’s After Dark program, click here.
