Melbourne Royal Show Update: August 2026

There is so much to look forward to in 2026, with an exciting combination of new experiences and much-loved Show favourites, including: 

• More animals and agricultural experiences, with an expanded Animal Nursery, stunt dog shows, milking & shearing shows, and more opportunities to get up close to livestock and horses throughout the Showgrounds. 

• A huge program of blue-ribbon competition, showcasing the country’s best livestock, horses, dogs, woodchoppers and loved creations from the arts crafts and cookery competition. 

• The Great Muster, bringing working dogs, horsemanship and the action and skill of Australian farming to the heart of the Show. 

• The Drover’s Tale, a brand-new evening arena spectacular bringing Australia’s pioneering spirit to life through the action and skill of Cobb & Co coaches, working dogs, horses and cattle 

• Paw Patrol Playland, a brand-new family experience featuring character appearances, activities and plenty of fun for our youngest Show visitors. 

• Freestyle Motocross, returning with even more thrills, including an incredible ring-of-fire element as part of our evening entertainment. 

• Carnival rides, showbags and all the Show favourites that generations of Victorians know and love. 

• More food, shopping and discovery, including the new Better Living Retail Pavilion, Gourmet Pantry & Cellar and a diverse line-up of food vendors and retail exhibitors. 

• Spectacular fireworks, providing the perfect finale to a day at the Show. 

And that is only a taste of what is planned. We encourage everyone to visit royalshow.com.au to discover what’s on, start planning your Show day and, importantly, share the excitement with family and friends.  

Our ticketing campaign will begin, with Loyalty Access opening on Thursday 20 August, offering past purchasers and subscribers our best-value ticket prices, followed by the Public Launch on Sunday 23rd August. We encourage our entire Melbourne Royal community to help us spread the word and invite family, friends and colleagues to experience the Show this year. 

As preparations accelerate, we are incredibly grateful to our competition committees, competitors, exhibitors, volunteers, sponsors, partners and suppliers who have chosen to be part of the 2026 Melbourne Royal Show. The strength of this year’s program, combined with the significant marketing and media campaign now underway, gives us great confidence in what we will collectively deliver this September. 

An important Poultry Competition update 

Following consultation with Agriculture Victoria and the Chief Veterinarian, Melbourne Royal has made the difficult decision not to proceed with the Poultry Competition at the 2026 Melbourne Royal Show. 

We know this will be incredibly disappointing for our poultry exhibitors, officials and judges who have already invested considerable time and effort preparing for this year’s competition, and we sincerely thank them for their understanding and continued support. While birds will not be onsite this year, poultry will remain an important part of our agricultural education and storytelling at the Show, and we are working through how we can best celebrate and represent this important industry in 2026. 

With opening day rapidly approaching, there is an incredible energy building across Melbourne Royal. We are proud of the Show that is taking shape and cannot wait to welcome everyone to Melbourne Showgrounds from Thursday 24 September to Sunday 4 October. 

We hope you’ll join us – and bring your family and friends. It’s Show Time! 

 

Hannah von Bibra

Executive General Manager, Melbourne Royal Show