Roll Up Roll Up It's Showtime in Sydney

Easter In Sydney

Hi Everyone. As autumn starts to settle here in Sydney we are once again blessed with what I like to call Easter Sunshine.. [in between bouts of rain that is !!] A diffused dappled light much kinder than the harsh glare of summer and apt to trick my brain into thinking spring is arriving.. Blame the sunshine.. Blame Easter! 

Being brought up with a confusing mix of English traditions and American television .. my thinking can't help but fall in line with our northern cousins.. Thoughts of spring, ducklings and those faux faberge candy eggs. You know.. The ones that came dangerously close to chipping a tooth or two. Yes those and all the other trappings of a Springtime Easter come to mind... 

So when armed with the task of creating  prints for a friend, I found these  springtime candy colours influencing the outcome.  It did get a little addictive [or should I say OCD] ... I created more iterations than you could poke a stick at.. Andy Warhol himself would have been proud.. Problem now is I can't choose.. and every new image is also getting the 'candy treatment'..  [and the multiple iterations].. So forgive the repetition ... And..

Let's get on with the show!! 

The Royal Easter Show

One Easter tradition that is pure Aussie ... is a visit to the yearly agricultural show .. or as we call it.. 'The Royal Easter Show'. People from all over the state gather to display their agricultural goods and livestock. Originally a trade show 'bringing the country to the big city', the event was housed within the grounds and historic buildings of Moore Park and the Hordon Pavillion.

My memories of this childhood event are partially my own.. and partially some imagined world populated by stories and images passed down by my mum.. A phantom fairground populated with the mums and dads of the 40's era. Hawkers plying their trade on Sideshow Alley, antiquated merry-go-rounds singing some long forgotten warbled song and freckle faced kiddies greedily savouring the remnants of fairy-floss smeared across their dust ridden cheeks.

All my memories include a soft hazy light which in truth were dust storms created by the footfalls of the ever moving crowds. A constant procession to no particular place, but seemingly always in search of the next exciting moment. At days end those same procession of show goers would quicken their pace, rushing to the grand arena, in hope of securing a place in the stands. For nightfall would be bring the best spectacle of all.. the fireworks!!!  Perhaps that is what the hazy glow of my memories was.. the  phosphorous scented cloud of a spent fireworks display.

Sadly, all too soon, the business called show business, would shut up their shopfronts and the tired and disheveled show goers would join the even longer procession making their way back to the family Holden. No one remembers the drive home.. well at least not we kids.. I sure hope my dad did!

The show now resides at Sydney Olympic Park.. Filled to the brim with displays, thrill rides and sideshow alleys... It is now bigger than ever... and as you would expect.. so is the entry fee. However it has lost it's charm for me... Perhaps it's the lack of grit and dust, but those sentimental memories are now nowhere to be found.. My memories are left to roam alone through the grounds of Moore Park  and our childhood laughter to echo in the empty halls of the Hordon Pavillion, searching for the perfect candy ladened showbag.

Have Fun This Weekend

And Don't forget 

The Full Moon is Monday, 18th April [Sydney Time] & 'To The Moon Alice' goes global.

I'll be including a linky tool for anyone wants to join in

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS

All photography, text and artwork [beingRuby©]

Photos of Royal Easter Show are from my visit 2010

[ya think!!]

FOOTNOTE: 

In response to Susan [Giulia]: Moore Park is now the home of Fox Studios and Markets.  Some of the original structures still stand today and never fail to bring back these lovely memories for me. I'll try and get some shots for a future post.