Spring is just around the corner, and that usually means it’s time for the Royal Adelaide Show. You won’t be lining up at the Showgrounds this year, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out altogether.

Words Zoe Rice

Off the beaten track

The Show at Home is online now, until September 13. Download the Yellow Brick Road map and you’ll be off on the trail once again. The trail has expanded this year, so jump in the car and visit South Australia’s regions. Stop at the checkpoints on the map to redeem offers and discounts, including free FruChocs, a free croissant from Les Deux Coqs and a free Melba’s yellow Chocolate Brick.

Stream in

During the week of The Show at Home Live, September 7 to 11, there will be a host of live-streamed masterclasses and events. You can join the Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider committee to learn what the judges look for in a Gold Medal winner. There are also virtual cellar door experiences and an insight into Young Rural Ambassador Caitlin Heppner. Get an insight into polo and learn about what makes a great horse for the game. NightShift takes you inside all the after-dark activities, including Car Soccer and monster trucks. Tune in at 9pm each night for a fireworks display synched to ’80s rock, ’90s hits and the big Friday finale.

Take the cake

Get those beaters started and whip up a delectably-decorated cake for the Mighty South Aussie Cake-Off. It’s easy as pie – just upload a photo of your creation to the website and wait for that blue ribbon to arrive.

If you’re still feeling competitive, enter the ice cream eating competition. You just need to purchase a 1L tub of Golden North vanilla ice cream and upload a video of yourself (with a timer in the video’s frame) eating the whole tub. Entries close on Friday, September 4, and the fastest participants will go on to the championship on Saturday, September 12.

Seek a thrill

If you’re getting twitchy about missing out on the thrill of the rides, strap yourself in for videos of some of the Show’s most popular rides. Maybe eat a bag of fairy floss first, spin around in your chair and have a fan on high to get that dizzying wind-in-your-hair experience.

Roll up, roll up

How can you walk out of the showgrounds without a stroll down sideshow alley? Test your skills virtually by knocking down cans, shooting balloons, dunking a basketball and flinging a slingshot. Oversized soft toys are BYO.

When you’re at the showgrounds, the last stop is almost always the showbag hall, but there’s no need to miss out on your annual Bertie Beetle fix. There are plenty of showbags to peruse online, including the old favourites – FruChocs and Charlesworth – as well as all the toys and treats a kid could ask for.

If all of that doesn’t satisfy your Show cravings, tickets are on sale for next year’s event – every ticket is $15 during The Show at Home.