As kids, we all loved our city’s annual Royal Show – the rides, the animals, the show bags, the food…so much food. Such great memories.

Now as parents, we want to give the same experience to our kids without the budget going overboard. That’s why the 2018 IGA Perth Royal Show is so appealing – with 101 free things to do once you’re inside the show, including more than 300 entertainers and 400 performers each day, and over 100 hours of free entertainment every day, the value for money is awesome (family passes are $60 to $75).

If you haven’t been before, the IGA Perth Royal Show is Western Australia’s largest agricultural show, and this year, it falls on the first week of the school holidays – September 22 to 29.

It’s all about showcasing the best in agriculture that a region has to offer, so the kids will be able to get do hands-on things like petting the baby animals in the PETStock Animal Nursery, and learn about their local produce and farmers by following the AgVenture Trail.

But there’s lots of new things, too, and I’m going to take you through a few of the best.

 

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???? Racing & Diving Pigs is a crowd favourite with daily shows near Gate 8 at 11.00am, 12.30pm, 2.00pm, 3.30pm and 5.00pm. ???? You have plenty of time to catch them during your day at the show, make sure to put them on your schedule! ✨ . . . . . . #showtime #IGAperthroyalshow2018 #free #pigs #familyfun #dayout #westernaustralia #perthnow #perthgram #perthtodo #soperth #perthcity #perthevents #perthlife #perthkids #perthevent #perthfood #perthfamily #perthlife #supportlocal #animals #showlife funevents #familyfun #farmanimals

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This year’s highlights at the top of our list include gigantic Crazy Shakes from CRAZY Shake Milk Bar, which take the “freak shake” brief to the next level. #treatday!

For a different kind of shake, dance on over to the main arena for performances by artists including vocal looper Sam Perry, winner of The Voice 2018 (Saturday, September 22), and country singer Shannon Noll (Sunday, September 23), before each night’s Flight Centre Fireworks.

Other daily activities are the FMX Performance Bike Riders, a Monster Truck, expert hypnotist Shane St James, Racing & Diving Pigs and DockDogs Australia…just for example.

            We live for freak shakes like these. Image: Shutterstock

Here are our favourite activities that the kids are sure to love  - and are either free, or excellent value for money:

• Nightly fireworks to close each day (I somehow never get over seeing fireworks!).
• The Scitech exhibits at the Science Wonderland stall.
• The tree pegging championship (so much brawn to watch!).
• The colours and scents at the Flower Show.
• Gold panning at Walk through WA.
• Cooking up a storm at the IGA Cooking with Kids.

But it's not just about the kids. There are alpaca fashion parades, tasting of dishes for the Perth Royal Food Awards, and...I mentioned Shannon Noll performing, right? See you there, Nollsie!

Plus, all visitors to the show can enter to go into the draw to win an all-new Corolla from Scarboro Toyota*. You can make like the Shannon Noll song and just driiiive.

So if you've been wondering if there's anything new on offer at the Royal Show this year, now you know the answer.

Yes, there is plenty. But best of all, it won't be as expensive as you think, the kids will learn, have fun...and they'll probably be so exhausted from the huge day, they'll fall asleep on the way home.

Talk about a win-win.

The IGA Perth Royal Show will be held at the Claremont Showground from September 22 to 29, 2018. For more information visit perthroyalshow.com.au. Tickets available from ticketmaster.com.au/perthroyalshow and IGA, including online pre-sales for children ($12+bf), concession ($13+bf), adults ($24+bf) and family passes ($60+bf). Half price kids' entry day is Thursday, September 27, supported by Lotterywest (purchased at the gate only).

*For full terms & conditions visit: www.perthroyalshow.com.au/winacorolla