Due to increased public concern, to protect the health of stakeholders and visitors, and in response to the Prime Minister and COAG’s direction that any organised mass gathering over 500 people should be cancelled, the 2020 Sydney Royal Easter Show is cancelled.
The Sydney Royal Easter Show was first held in 1823, it is Australia's largest annual ticketed event, attracting over 828,000 attendees on average.
The Show is a celebration of Australian culture, from our rural traditions to our modern day lifestyles, providing unique experiences for everyone. Revenue generated by it allows the RAS to invest in agricultural programs, competitions, education, youth and rural NSW.
President of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Robert Ryan OAM said it was distressing and disappointing to cancel the Show for 2020.
“There are many people who will be very upset by this decision, and this is the first time the Sydney Royal Easter Show has been cancelled because of a public health emergency since the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1919,” Ryan said.
The Show generates $250 million each year, according to Chief Executive of the RAS Brock Gilmour.
Its cancellation will be a huge blow to the rural community that has already endured devastating bushfires and drought.
