Entertainment
25 July, 2026
Show successful again
THE 2026 Cairns Show attracted more than 70,000 people, with organisers reporting strong support from the community, exhibitors and ride operators.
Cairns Show president Ian Allen said attendance reached over 70,000 across the three-day event, making it another successful year for the annual show.
“I think very close to 70,244 people. It’d be around that vicinity, which is fantastic,” he said.
Mr Allen said exhibitors in the Fred Moule Pavilion had responded positively to a revised layout.
“I was talking to most of the store holders in the Fred Moule Pavilion. They thought it was a very successful layout,” he said.
“The year was a little bit different, but they got a lot of feedback there saying how good they thought it was in there.”
He said members of the Showmen’s Guild also praised the support they received from visitors from Far North Queensland.
“Showmen’s Guild said it’s always great to come back up to Cairns here because the people of Cairns support the ride area better than anywhere else – and even the show bag operators.”
While there were few major changes to this year’s event, Mr Allen said one new attraction was introduced.
“We did have one new ride, ‘The Void’,” he said.
“They must have faith in Cairns to buy a new ride, which is nearly two and a half million dollars and to bring it to Cairns.”
Mr Allen said the Cairns Show also continued to offer one of the state’s largest carnival ride precincts.
“The main thing here with the ride area is that we have larger rides than the Brisbane Ekka.”
A personal highlight for Mr Allen came when he was recognised by the Showmen’s Guild for 25 years as president.
“That to me ... it actually even brought a tear to my eye,” he said.
He also praised the atmosphere throughout the showgrounds, particularly in the dairy cattle section and said many visitors stopped to congratulate organisers.
Mr Allen thanked the Cairns community for supporting the annual event.
“I’d just like to pass our thanks on to the community and the surrounding community for supporting their show. Like, it is their show. It’s not my show, it’s the people of Cairns and the surrounding community.”
Planning will now begin for next year’s Cairns Show, with organisers aiming to build on another well-supported event.
