What’s on for autumn 2024

Here in Australia, Easter falls in autumn. This year, Easter will happen between Friday 29 March and Monday 1 April. It’s a great time to get together with family and friends to enjoy the changing seasons. Here’s our pick for what’s on with the best festivals, markets and fairs celebrating all things Easter in or near Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

What’s on in Adelaide

The Meadows Easter Fair has been held every Easter long weekend since 1997. This year, it will take place on each of the four days of the Easter holiday. There are more than 100 different stalls to visit at the fair, selling all sorts of things, from jams, preserves and chocolates to books and toys to second hand clothes. Some of the stalls are located inside the beautiful Meadows Hall, and some are outside in the carpark. There is also music and entertainment, children’s activities, a petting zoo and an Easter trail to enjoy.

When: 9am-4pm Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April 2024.

Where: 51-53 Mawson Road, Meadows.

Tickets: Entry is free – no tickets are necessary.

Find out more: Check out the Meadows Easter Fair on Facebook or go to the website.

What’s on in Brisbane

The Bluewater Festival at Shorncliffe Pier is one to see – in part because it provides waterfront views for the official start of the famous Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race! This is Australia’s second biggest yacht race, and it starts with a bang (a real one, when a cannon goes off) at 10am on Good Friday. But there’s more to Bluewater than beautiful yachts and ocean views – over the festival’s two days there will be food trucks, live music, kids’ workshops, rides, face painting and glitter tattoos, food and markets, a visit from the Easter Bunny and a beach party and fireworks on the Friday evening.

When: 4-8pm, Thursday 28 March and 9.30am-8pm, Friday 29 March 2024.

Where: Moora Park, Shorncliffe. Parking in the area is limited, but there is some disability parking near the event entry point.

Tickets: No tickets necessary.

Find out more: Visit the Bluewater Festival website.

What’s on in Melbourne (Bendigo)

Bendigo is the fourth largest city in the state of Victoria, 150 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. It’s a wonderful place to take a day trip to by car or V-Line train at any time of year, including Easter! The Bendigo Easter Festival takes place in beautiful Rosalind Park and its surrounding streets. Attractions include an Easter egg hunt for more than 80,000 eggs on Good Friday, a carnival, a market, live music and lots of other hands-on activities and performances. As the sun sets on Easter Saturday, cheer on the floats in the O’Brien Electrical & AC Torchlight Procession, which finishes with a fireworks display. Don’t miss the iconic Sherridon Homes Gala Parade on Easter Sunday where you’ll experience the excitement of Dai Gum Loong (the world’s longest Imperial Dragon) weaving his way through the historic streets of Bendigo.

When: 10am-5pm, Friday 29 to Sunday 31 March 2024.

Where: Rosalind Park, Bendigo – and surrounding streets.  Designated accessible parking close to the festival precinct will be available Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Williamson Street. Additional accessible parking will be available during parade times.

Tickets: Free entry but there is a fee for some rides and experiences, including the Vision Australia Easter Egg hunt.

Find out more: Visit the Bendigo Easter Festival website.

What’s on in Sydney

The fun goes for 12 amazing days at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, which has been running since 1823. It’s famous for ‘bringing the country to the city’, which means you might get to see cows, sheep, goats, baby chicks, pigs and even alpacas! All the crowd-favourites are returning, like cattle judging, sheep shearing, chicken hatching, pig washing and the much-loved Best in Show Dogs! This year, the ever-popular Woodchopping and Sawing competition celebrates 125 years. For the first time ever there will be a Women’s World Championships Woodchopping and Sawing competition too. The Sydney Royal Easter Show also includes entertainment, animal experiences and competitions, carnival rides and games, showbags and activities. Weekdays are quieter than weekends, and quieter locations include:

• A Quiet Room on Showground Road
• The Arts & Crafts Pavilion with places to sit down, and a gallery to wander through
• A grassy open space with picnic tables in front of Paddington Pavilion
• A quiet zone with shaded areas and picnic tables opposite the horse marshalling area on the corner of Hawkesbury Street and New England Avenue
• The Showbag Pavilion is quieter than usual mid-morning
• The Woolworths Fresh Food Dome is quieter than usual in the afternoon and evening
• If you forget to bring your noise cancelling headphones, ear plugs are available from the Customer Service Centre on Showground Road or in the Quiet Room.

When: Friday 22 March to Tuesday 2 April 2024.

Where: Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park. There are 300+ accessible and mobility carparking spaces in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct. We recommend pre-booking your park via: sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au/parking/accessible-parking

Tickets: Person with Disability (PWD) Tickets are $26 until 21 March. From 22 March onwards they’re $28. If you have a Companion Card and/or Vision Impaired + Attendant card, you can get a complimentary ticket for your companion with your PWD Ticket purchase. Carer’s tickets are also available with PWD Tickets, to those issues with acceptable identification. PWD Reserve Seat Ticket Packages are available from 19 February via the details below.

Find out more: Visit the Sydney Royal Easter Show website for more information or to book online. Call 02 9704 1000 or email callcentre@eastershow.com.au with any questions and for ticket bookings.

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