RNA Showgrounds

I’ve been to the RNA Showgrounds for the Ekka and Oktoberfest and I love how versatile the venue can be. It looked completely different from the last time when I went for Ekka.
The Ekka just seemed to go on forever with so much to see and do. You could be under the show bags tent for awhile and then riding rides for a few hours. I loved the food pavilion, wood chopping competitions, and the evening events in the arena. My day wouldn’t be complete without a strawberry sundae. They had plenty of activities and many family oriented.
When I went back to RNA for Oktoberfest, a big difference was there was only one entrance which was nice, especially when meeting friends. Unfortunately, the train only runs during Ekka so best way to arrive is car, bus, or taxi. Oktoberfest had a few rides but the main tent was were all the music, dancing, and competitions took place. They had plenty of picnic tables for everyone to enjoy and I loved seeing it fill up as the evening went on. All of the food and specialty drink stalls that weren’t beer were outside the tent. It was easy to move around and I had a great time!
I agree with a lot of the reviews that say that the RNA could use a little face lift. Some sections need it more than others but it’s a fun place to attend various events and not far from the city!

The RNA Showgrounds are traditionally renowned for the Ekka, an annual ten-​day carnival event with its origins sourced from an agricultural show. However, other major events are held on the grounds, such as Oktoberfest and the annual book sale.
When the Ekka is on (August), the RNA Showgrounds are packed with families. Other events bring in different types. On the day I visited the annual book sale, I noticed a lot of people in my age bracket or older (children aren’t interested in watching adults buy books, even if it’s children’s books, apparently). Unfortunately, most of the books here are utter trash — romance novels by unknown authors, D.I.Y. and Idiot’s Guides, biographies of both obscure and overly famous people (Elvis) and children’s books. Or perhaps I showed up too late to catch the good stuff.
Unfortunately the room staging the event didn’t have air conditioning and it was a hot day, meaning I and others kept walking out to feel the wind. I cannot recall if what is known as «The Showbag Pavilion» has air conditioning, but I do know I’ve never found it to be hot in this giant warehouse-​style building: perhaps because the Ekka is held in winter.

The old RNA is a bit of a chameleon. It changes so many times throughout the year for the various shows/​festivals/​fairs that it hosts and has become a bit of an icon in Brisbane. I especially love the grand arena and some of the older buildings which make you feel like you’ve taken a bit of a step back in time.
The Ekka is probably the biggest event held at the RNA but there’s also things like the Royal Queensland Show, the Food & Wine Show, Laneway Festival, Soundwave and it’s available for functions and events such as gala dinners, eisteddfods and music concerts.
In my opinion the RNA could definitely use a bit of a re-​vamp. There are some sections of the Showgrounds that look a little dated and sad. In saying this all of the events I have attended there have been fantastic, and there’s really nowhere else which could compete in Brisbane with the RNA Showgrounds in terms of facilities and capacity.

The RNA showgrounds are most famously the venue for the Brisbane Ekka. Yet that time of the year is when I avoid it like the plague. This venue is quite versatile and host everything from Baseball games (our team is called the Brisbane Bandits) to Cultural Expos.
Most recently I was at the RNA showgrounds for the November 2011 Supanova Pop Culture Expo (in other words an annual massive geek expo that covers the likes of cosplay, manga, sci-​fi, gaming, books, comics etc). This took place in the main exhibition hall which was very easy to access from the outside. However once in the showgrounds the one door leading between this room and the other halls was often overcrowded. Perhaps it needs a few more doors considering the volume of people and Pokemon that were trudging up and down the stairs at Supanova (I assume similar issues might be had at other events held here).
The exhibition hall is air-​conditioned which is a major plus in the QLD heat! But there was a lack of ATMs at the venue and the one available eventually ran out of cash, making patrons leave the Expo in order to find money. On the plus side, the RNA Showgrounds are very easy to get to, within walking distance from the train station and also close to shops, food and bars in the valley. There was also ample parking available on the days of the event.
I can’t image what the showgrounds would be like with something like the Ekka, but for smaller conventions it is quite a large, easy to access, and comfortable venue.