Toodyay Agricultural Show
Every October, Toodyay's historic showgrounds beside the Avon River fill with prize sheep, home-baked cakes, vintage engines, sideshow rides and a crowd that stays on until the fireworks light up the sky. The Toodyay Agricultural Show is the town's oldest annual community event, run by the Toodyay Agricultural Society since 1853, and it is still organised by local volunteers.
This page covers everything you need to know: what happens on the day, the history of the show and its showgrounds, why it matters to the community, and practical tips for planning your visit.
Toodyay Agricultural Show at a Glance
Here are the key details for planning your visit.
When: A Saturday in October (Saturday 10 October in 2026)
Time: 9am to 9pm, in 2026 the opening ceremony was at about 10.15am and the fireworks at 7.30pm.
Where: Toodyay Showgrounds, on the north bank of the Avon River
Cost: Paid entry at the gate. In 2026 it was $15 for adults, $10 for concession holders and $5 for children aged 6 to 17, with children aged 5 and under free.
Dogs: No pets are allowed, because of the livestock. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Dogs: No pets are allowed, because of the livestock. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Getting there: About an hour from Perth by car, or take the special event AvonLink train, with a free shuttle bus from Toodyay Station to the showgrounds.
Organiser: Toodyay Agricultural Society Inc.
What Happens on the Day
The show runs from morning until night, so there is plenty to fit in. These highlights are based on the 2026 show. The line-up changes each year, so check the official program closer to the date.
The Exhibition Halls
Step inside the historic exhibition halls to see the work of the district's bakers, makers, growers and gardeners. Categories include cookery, home produce, fruit and vegetables, flowers, needlework, quilting, weaving, hand spinning, hobby crafts, art, photography, woodcraft, beekeeping and farm crops, along with colourful school displays.
Anyone can enter, from first-timers to seasoned champions. In 2026 the pavilions also held an eclectic motorcycle display and a vintage camera collection.
Anyone can enter, from first-timers to seasoned champions. In 2026 the pavilions also held an eclectic motorcycle display and a vintage camera collection.
Livestock and Farm Animals
Walk through the yards and pavilions to see alpacas, goats, cattle, sheep and horses, as well as baby animals and hatchlings. Working dog demonstrations show off real farm skills, and the animal petting farm and native animal zoo are a hit with kids.
In 2026 the poultry competition was cancelled as a precaution against H5 bird flu, so check each year what is on.
In 2026 the poultry competition was cancelled as a precaution against H5 bird flu, so check each year what is on.
Horses in Action
The Equestrian Pleasure Show is a friendly "encouragement" show, designed to give beginners, nervous riders and green horses a relaxed place to compete, with some classes open to all.
Ring events begin at 8am with classes such as breeds, show-jumping and novelties, and in 2026 they also included led rider, off-the-track and western pattern classes.
Ring events begin at 8am with classes such as breeds, show-jumping and novelties, and in 2026 they also included led rider, off-the-track and western pattern classes.
Main Stage and Free Family Fun
The main stage hosts music, dance and magic all day, and the opening ceremony is held at about 10.15am. In 2026 the program included the RAN Band, the Toodyay District High School choir, the Toodyay Community Singers, Pop Magic and the Toodyay Ballet School.
Out on the oval there is a long list of free activities, including vintage vehicles, enchanted stilt walkers, face painting, bouncy inflatables, Lions Wiggly Worm rides, butterflies and minibeasts, magical fairies and wand making, a blacksmith shop, small engine displays, the WA 10th Light Horse and a midday emergency services demonstration.
Out on the oval there is a long list of free activities, including vintage vehicles, enchanted stilt walkers, face painting, bouncy inflatables, Lions Wiggly Worm rides, butterflies and minibeasts, magical fairies and wand making, a blacksmith shop, small engine displays, the WA 10th Light Horse and a midday emergency services demonstration.
Sideshow Alley
Sideshow Alley is open from 10am to 9pm with dodgems, rides, show bags and the Laughing Clowns. Bring some pocket money, because EFTPOS and cash-out facilities are available at the Treasurer's Office, between the Lee Steere Pavilion and the Youth Hall.
Markets, Trade Stalls and Food
Browse a huge variety of market and trade stalls selling plants, produce, crafts, clothing, art, toys, jewellery, leather goods, wine, hardware, machinery and kitchenware, plus community group stands and coffee and food vans.
For a classic show lunch, head to the Sports Pavilion Country Kitchen or the Youth Hall Community Kitchen, which are run by local community groups.
For a classic show lunch, head to the Sports Pavilion Country Kitchen or the Youth Hall Community Kitchen, which are run by local community groups.
The Terrace Bar, Prizes and Fireworks
As the afternoon winds down, head to the family-friendly Terrace Bar for the best view over the grounds and live music.
In 2026 the evening began with the 4pm prize presentations, followed by a show auction at 6pm in aid of Farmers Across Borders, live music by Pretty Crazy, and fireworks at 7.30pm, with the show closing at 9pm. The fireworks have closed the show since 1999 and are always a crowd favourite.
In 2026 the evening began with the 4pm prize presentations, followed by a show auction at 6pm in aid of Farmers Across Borders, live music by Pretty Crazy, and fireworks at 7.30pm, with the show closing at 9pm. The fireworks have closed the show since 1999 and are always a crowd favourite.
The History of the Toodyay Agricultural Show
The Toodyay Agricultural Society was formed on 15 November 1853 at the Royal Oak inn in old Toodyay, now West Toodyay, as the Toodyay, Northam and Victoria Plains Agricultural Society. The Resident Magistrate chaired the meeting, and the first annual meeting and show followed in 1854. Today it is the oldest community organisation in Toodyay and the second oldest existing agricultural society in Western Australia, after York.
In the early years the show was held in what is now West Toodyay. The Governor attended in 1855, and a show ball followed in 1856. Repeated flooding pushed the town upstream to Newcastle, and the last show in West Toodyay was held in 1860. The arrival of the railway in 1887 meant that special excursion trains could bring visitors to the show. In 1890 the Society moved to the former Recreation Ground on the north bank of the Avon River, where the show has been held ever since.
The showgrounds grew along with the show. A large pavilion was built in 1897, and in 1910 the Society added an exhibition hall, a tearoom and a grandstand behind a tall picket fence. Fire destroyed the grandstand in 1933 and it was rebuilt in 1934. The exhibition hall was rebuilt after the war and renamed the Sir Ernest Lee Steere Memorial Hall in 1960. Many of the buildings you see today were designed by farmers and committee members over the decades.
The show has kept going through two world wars, a depression and a pandemic. It was abandoned in 1914 during a drought and the outbreak of the First World War, and the Society went into recess from 1943 to 1945 when the army used the exhibition hall. The Governor opened the Society's centenary show in 1953. The show was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19, then returned in 2021 with a record crowd of more than 4,200 people.
Fireworks, introduced in 1999 as the Skyshow Spectacular, now close every show, and the family-friendly Terrace Bar was added in 2021. The 150th Anniversary Show in 2003 was opened by the Governor after a street parade, and the 170th show in 2024 was celebrated with a Decennial Dance. The 2026 show was the 172nd.
Show Milestones
1853: Society formed on 15 November
1854: First annual meeting and show
1860: Last show held in old Toodyay
1890: First show on the current showgrounds
1910: Exhibition hall, tearoom and grandstand built
1921: Society incorporated
1923: Road Board buys the showgrounds
1934: Grandstand rebuilt after a fire
1943-1945: Shows paused during the Second World War
1953: Centenary show opened by the Governor
1960: Exhibition hall renamed the Sir Ernest Lee Steere Memorial Hall
1972: First women elected to the committee
1999: First fireworks display
2003: 150th Anniversary Show
2006: First woman elected president
2020: Show cancelled because of COVID-19
2021: Return with a record crowd, and the Terrace Bar introduced
2024: 170th show
2026: 172nd show
1854: First annual meeting and show
1860: Last show held in old Toodyay
1890: First show on the current showgrounds
1910: Exhibition hall, tearoom and grandstand built
1921: Society incorporated
1923: Road Board buys the showgrounds
1934: Grandstand rebuilt after a fire
1943-1945: Shows paused during the Second World War
1953: Centenary show opened by the Governor
1960: Exhibition hall renamed the Sir Ernest Lee Steere Memorial Hall
1972: First women elected to the committee
1999: First fireworks display
2003: 150th Anniversary Show
2006: First woman elected president
2020: Show cancelled because of COVID-19
2021: Return with a record crowd, and the Terrace Bar introduced
2024: 170th show
2026: 172nd show
Why the Toodyay Show Matters
On the surface it's a day of animals, exhibits and sideshow rides. Underneath, the show tells some of the bigger stories of Toodyay and Western Australia.
A Tradition Older Than Federation
The show began before Australia was a nation. It has run through the gold rushes, two world wars and a pandemic, apart from short pauses, and for generations it has been the day the district comes together.
Special trains, show dances and even horse races over the show weekend in the 1920s drew visitors from far away.
Special trains, show dances and even horse races over the show weekend in the 1920s drew visitors from far away.
Everyone's Show
The show is built around taking part. The schedule is organised into categories, sections and classes, so a category such as Home Produce has a section for jam and a class for a single jar of fig jam.
Everyone is welcome to enter, no professional skills are needed, and the Society's message is simply to bake, make or grow something and have a go.
Everyone is welcome to enter, no professional skills are needed, and the Society's message is simply to bake, make or grow something and have a go.
Powered by Volunteers
Local community groups run the gates, car parking, tearooms and the Terrace Bar, and a small committee organises the whole event.
In 2025 the president spoke about running the show with a smaller team than usual and called for more volunteers. The show is a reminder that traditions like this survive because people turn up to run them.
In 2025 the president spoke about running the show with a smaller team than usual and called for more volunteers. The show is a reminder that traditions like this survive because people turn up to run them.
Keeping Rural Skills Alive
Blacksmithing, working dog demonstrations, wool and fleece judging, hand spinning and farm machinery displays keep rural skills in front of a new generation.
The Society has also supported young people through scholarships for local students and the Rural Ambassador Award, which encourages young people to promote agriculture.
The Society has also supported young people through scholarships for local students and the Rural Ambassador Award, which encourages young people to promote agriculture.
Country and Context
The showgrounds sit beside the Avon River on Ballardong Noongar country, next to a Noongar burial ground.
Part of the former hockey oval was taken out of use for trade stalls in 2014 because of the location of Aboriginal graves, and a sign acknowledging the burial ground was put up in 2021.
The 2026 opening ceremony included an Acknowledgement of Country, and the 2024 show was opened with a Welcome to Country. Please treat the area around the showgrounds with respect.
Plan Your Visit
Everything you need to get to Toodyay, dress for the day and make the most of it.
Getting There
By car, Toodyay is about an hour from Perth along Toodyay Road. On show day, community groups run parking on nearby streets, including Toodyay, Connor and Jubilee Streets, from 7am, so allow time to park and walk in.
By train, Transwa runs a special event AvonLink service. In 2026 it left East Perth at 8.40am and reached Toodyay at 9.56am, and the return left Toodyay at 4.16pm and reached East Perth at 5.30pm. The Society provides a free shuttle bus between Toodyay Station and the showgrounds, and Transperth travel is free on the day with your Transwa ticket. Book early and check the Transwa website for the 2027 times.
By train, Transwa runs a special event AvonLink service. In 2026 it left East Perth at 8.40am and reached Toodyay at 9.56am, and the return left Toodyay at 4.16pm and reached East Perth at 5.30pm. The Society provides a free shuttle bus between Toodyay Station and the showgrounds, and Transperth travel is free on the day with your Transwa ticket. Book early and check the Transwa website for the 2027 times.
Tickets and Money
Tickets are sold at the gate. In 2026 admission was $15 for adults, $10 for concession holders and $5 for children aged 6 to 17, and children aged 5 and under were free. Members of the Society receive two adult entry passes with their membership.
Some stallholders take cards but not all, so bring some cash for rides and market stalls. EFTPOS and cash-out facilities are at the Treasurer's Office.
Some stallholders take cards but not all, so bring some cash for rides and market stalls. EFTPOS and cash-out facilities are at the Treasurer's Office.
Making the Most of the Day
Arrive in the morning to see the horses and exhibitions before the crowds build, and try to be at the main stage for the opening ceremony.
Midday is the time for the emergency services demonstration, and the 4pm prize presentations are a good time to see the winners.
Stay for the evening if you can, because the Terrace Bar, live music and fireworks are a highlight. October weather in the Avon Valley can swing from cool and wet to very hot, with 37 degrees recorded at the 2015 show, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water, and a jacket for the evening.
Midday is the time for the emergency services demonstration, and the 4pm prize presentations are a good time to see the winners.
Stay for the evening if you can, because the Terrace Bar, live music and fireworks are a highlight. October weather in the Avon Valley can swing from cool and wet to very hot, with 37 degrees recorded at the 2015 show, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water, and a jacket for the evening.
Eat, Drink and Stay
Food vans, the Sports Pavilion Country Kitchen, the Youth Hall Community Kitchen and the Terrace Bar keep everyone fed and watered.
For more options, see Where to Eat and Drink in Toodyay. If you're staying for the weekend, see Toodyay Accommodation and book early.
For more options, see Where to Eat and Drink in Toodyay. If you're staying for the weekend, see Toodyay Accommodation and book early.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Toodyay Agricultural Show?
On a Saturday in October each year. In 2026 it was held on Saturday 10 October, from 9am to 9pm. Check the official website for the 2027 date.
On a Saturday in October each year. In 2026 it was held on Saturday 10 October, from 9am to 9pm. Check the official website for the 2027 date.
How much does it cost?
Tickets are sold at the gate. In 2026 admission was $15 for adults, $10 for concession holders and $5 for children aged 6 to 17, with children aged 5 and under free.
Tickets are sold at the gate. In 2026 admission was $15 for adults, $10 for concession holders and $5 for children aged 6 to 17, with children aged 5 and under free.
What time does the fireworks display start?
In 2026 the fireworks started at 7.30pm, and the show closed at 9pm.
In 2026 the fireworks started at 7.30pm, and the show closed at 9pm.
Can I bring my dog?
No. Pets are not permitted because of the livestock, but assistance dogs are welcome.
No. Pets are not permitted because of the livestock, but assistance dogs are welcome.
Is the show suitable for children?
Yes. There are animal petting farms, bouncy inflatables, face painting, fairies, stilt walkers, Wiggly Worm rides and Sideshow Alley, as well as the free activities out on the oval.
Yes. There are animal petting farms, bouncy inflatables, face painting, fairies, stilt walkers, Wiggly Worm rides and Sideshow Alley, as well as the free activities out on the oval.
Where do I park?
On show day, community groups run parking on nearby streets, including Toodyay, Connor and Jubilee Streets, from 7am.
On show day, community groups run parking on nearby streets, including Toodyay, Connor and Jubilee Streets, from 7am.
Can I get there by train?
Yes. Transwa runs a special event AvonLink service, and the Society provides a free shuttle bus between Toodyay Station and the showgrounds. Book early and check the Transwa website for the 2027 times.
Yes. Transwa runs a special event AvonLink service, and the Society provides a free shuttle bus between Toodyay Station and the showgrounds. Book early and check the Transwa website for the 2027 times.
Can I enter my cooking, craft or photography?
Yes. Everyone is welcome, and you don't need professional skills. The show schedule is published in August and costs $5 from the Toodyay Visitor Centre and Makit Hardware, or you can download it from the official website. Entries usually close one to two weeks before show day.
Yes. Everyone is welcome, and you don't need professional skills. The show schedule is published in August and costs $5 from the Toodyay Visitor Centre and Makit Hardware, or you can download it from the official website. Entries usually close one to two weeks before show day.
Is there poultry?
In 2026 the poultry competition was cancelled as a precaution against H5 bird flu. Check the official website for the latest information.
In 2026 the poultry competition was cancelled as a precaution against H5 bird flu. Check the official website for the latest information.
How many people go?
The Society says about 4,500 people go through the gate in an average year, and more than 4,200 came in 2021, a record at the time.
The Society says about 4,500 people go through the gate in an average year, and more than 4,200 came in 2021, a record at the time.
Get Involved
The Toodyay Show runs because people take part. Whether you want to enter your best jam or sponge, join the Society, lend a hand on the day or run a stall, there are plenty of ways to be part of it, and everyone is welcome.
Enter the Show
Entries are open to everyone, and you can enter online or on printed forms in the show schedule. Choose from cookery, home produce, fruit and vegetables, flowers, needlework, quilting, art, photography, woodcraft, livestock, horses and more.
Become a Member
Membership of the Toodyay Agricultural Society was $25 a year in 2026 and included two adult entry passes and a show schedule.
Memberships must be paid by 30 September, and you can't join at the gate.
Volunteer or Run a Stall
Local community groups can register their interest each year, by 31 May, to run the gates, parking, tearooms or the Terrace Bar.
The Society is always looking for new committee members too. To apply for a stall or a food van, email the Administration Officer on admin@toodyayagshow.com.au or call 0494 731 662.
Travel Tip - Make a weekend of it. Visit the Newcastle Gaol Museum and Connor's Mill, join the Toodyay Historic Walking Tour, or walk the Bilya Walk Track along the Avon River. See the Toodyay Getaway Guide to plan your trip.
Planning more trips? See what else is on at Toodyay Events.