Why August Is My Favourite Month
Fun times at the Ekka with the Ricoh GRIII
August was always my favourite month when I was a kid.
August is when the Royal Queensland Show - the Ekka - takes place. If you’re outside of Australia, think of it as a 10 day state or county fair on steroids.
With a mix of carnival rides, sideshow alley games, show bags full of chocolate, and fireworks, it was the one single event I looked forward to it every year. My sister and I saved up our pocket money for months, meticulously planning our spend when the local newspaper printed details of what was on offer that year.
The Ekka is still an agricultural show at heart, bringing the country to the city. One of the most visible reminders of this is the constant procession of cattle and horses coming and going from the show ring. Many of the cattle left their ‘calling cards’ for us to dogde along the way.
Arriving early, my son and I were both eager to buy one of the Ekka’s signature Strawberry Sundaes. We sat in the stands munching them as the cattle moo’d and paraded around for the judges. There wasn’t a lot of action going on, but I could’ve sat there all morning.
If you think this looks like a sporting field, you’d be right, it hosted test cricket twice before it moved to the Gabba. Sir Donald Bradman made his test debut here in 1928, when the Australians suffered a heavy defeat to England. Three years later ‘The Don’ scored 228 against the West Indies, with Australia winning the match.
We left the cattle to parade around the ring, and went to look for closer encounters with other animals. Cats, dogs and birds also compete for prizes in buildings dotted around the showgrounds. A highlight was patting 4 dalmatians in the dog judging area, reminding us of our faithful, if somewhat chubbier, pooch at home.
The judging is not limited to animals either - in yet another pavillion there are plenty of other ribbons up for grabs. From cakes to fine arts, from teddy bears to photography. My son asked why my photos weren’t on display, the short answer is because I didn’t enter any. Perhaps I should next year.
If you’ve got this far, you might think that I still love everything about the Ekka. Well yes and no. I love the idea of the Ekka. I love the Ekka of my childhood. Visiting now is almost an attempt to recapture some of that nostalgia among ever increasing prices and commercialism.
You might be thinking that I’m just getting old and cynical (guilty) but the Ekka no longer has such a strong stranglehold on kids in Brisbane these days. There are so many other things competing for attention and money.
Speaking of money, the Strawberry Sundaes have shot up to $6.50 ($4USD), and the rides are now a minimum of $15 ($10USD) each. Got a sweet tooth? Forget the showbags, you’re better off taking your money to buy chocolate in a supermarket. The games at sideshow alley look fun, but we watched on as most people walked away empty handed. There’s also the entry fee, $38 ($25USD) just to get in for the both of us.
Even the weather is different now. As a kid we dressed up in winter woolies to stave off the freezing August winds. While the weather was perfect this year - neither hot nor cold - in the last 5 years I remember two occasions when it was mid 20s and I sweating and worried about getting sunburnt.
Is August still my favourite month? Yes, but mostly because it’s also my birthday month. Today I turn 50. I had a quiet day at home, only heading out to see my parents briefly. After all, it’s just another day, isn’t it?
Matt’s Birthday Subscription Offer
To celebrate my birthday I'm offering 20% off monthly, annual and founding Substack plans until 31 August 2024.
With all plans you can download 7 of my film photography zines in PDF format instantly.
With the founding member offer, I’ll send you a print copy of one of my zines to your address anywhere in the world, along with a sticker and some postcards.
Before I head off to eat some more cake, thank you to all my paid and free subscribers. Thank you to everyone who gives my posts a heart and leaves a comment. Thank you to everyone who shares my posts, or tells a friend about them. I appreciate you all!
Cheers
Matt
Many happy returns, Sir!