Caboolture Show 2026 runs Friday 5 June through Sunday 7 June at Caboolture Showgrounds, and it’s the 99th year. That’s not a small thing in a region that has changed as much as Moreton Bay has. The Show is one of those genuine country events that has held its character. Sideshow alley, fireworks every night, a serious rodeo card on Saturday and Sunday, animal pavilions, and showbags that still sell out by Sunday afternoon. If you’re driving in for it, planning to bring kids, or thinking about a Friday-night ride-and-fireworks visit before heading home Saturday morning, we’ve put this together for guests who want the practical details in one place.
What the weekend looks like
The Caboolture Show 2026 is a three-day program, with each day pitched at a slightly different audience. Friday is the soft open: gates from late afternoon, sideshow rides running, food trucks set up, fireworks at around 8pm. It’s the night with the smallest crowds and the easiest parking, which makes it our pick for younger families who want to be home and in bed by 9pm.
Saturday is the main day. Gates open mid-morning, the full pavilion line-up is open (cattle, horses, poultry, woodchopping, baking and craft displays), the ute show runs through the afternoon, and the rodeo opens in the main arena from late afternoon. Bull rides, bareback, saddle bronc, barrel racing. It’s a properly run circuit event, not a tourist novelty. Fireworks again at around 8pm.
Sunday closes the weekend with the second rodeo session and the prize draws. Gates close earlier, around 5pm, but it’s the day to come if you want a slightly calmer crowd and slightly shorter queues at the showbag stalls.
Tickets and gate prices
Adult gate entry was twenty-two dollars at the last published rate, with kids and concessions discounted. Family passes work out cheaper than buying individually. Showbags, ride armbands and rodeo grandstand seating are extra. The Caboolture Showgrounds website carries the up-to-date prices, the day-by-day program and the full rodeo card as soon as it’s confirmed. Buying tickets online ahead of time skips the gate queue, which gets long on Saturday around midday.
Eftpos and card work at most stalls inside the grounds, but cash is faster at sideshow alley and the food vans. We’d suggest pulling fifty to a hundred dollars in cash before you arrive.
Rodeo on Saturday and Sunday
The rodeo is the headline draw for a lot of the Caboolture Show audience. Both rodeo sessions run in the main arena. Grandstand seating is general admission with a separate ticket on top of gate entry. Get there at least thirty minutes before the start to find a seat with a clear view of the bucking chutes. The bull-ride finals on Saturday night are usually the loudest event of the weekend.
If you’ve never been to a country rodeo, a few things to know. It’s a real competition with a points system, not a stunt show. Animal welfare is regulated under the Australian Professional Rodeo Association rules. Bring a hat for the afternoon sun, and bring a jumper for the evening. The showgrounds get cold once the sun drops behind the Glass House Mountains.
Fireworks and sideshow alley
Friday and Saturday fireworks fire off around 8pm. The display is set off from the back of the grounds, and the best free viewing is from the lawn near the main pavilions. Bring a picnic blanket if you want to claim a spot early. The sideshow alley sits across from the main pavilions and runs ride armbands at a flat day rate, which is how most families do it; otherwise you’re buying individual ride tickets at three to seven dollars each.
The showbag pavilion is the other big drawcard. Aim for it before lunchtime on Saturday. The bestsellers (Bertie Beetle, Freddo, Mars, the brand-name lolly bags) clear out fastest and the queues build through the afternoon.
Where to stay and how to get there
The Caboolture Showgrounds are at 28 Beerburrum Road, around five minutes by car from the motel. We’re the closest motel-class accommodation to the gates. From the motel you can drive in, find one of the showgrounds carparks (free, with overflow paddock parking on the busier nights), and be at the gate within ten minutes door-to-gate.
Our Show Weekend rooms book ahead, usually three to four months in advance for the Saturday night, less for Friday and Sunday. If you’re reading this in April for a June show, you’ve still got time to book direct, but the Saturday inventory tightens fastest. Booking direct on our site is the cheapest way to lock the rate, and our breakfast is included so you’re not chasing food before heading back over for Sunday’s rodeo.
We’re also walking distance from Caboolture train station. Brisbane families coming up for a day visit can ride the Caboolture line direct from the city, which avoids the Saturday night carpark exit jam.
A few practical notes
- Bring a backpack with water, sunscreen, hats and a jumper for the evening.
- Eftpos is fine inside most stalls; bring cash for sideshow alley and food trucks.
- The main arena is open seating; arrive thirty minutes before rodeo sessions for the best view.
- Strollers and prams are welcome but the grounds are part-grass, part-gravel. Chunky-wheel prams handle better than light umbrella ones.
- Service dogs only inside the grounds; no general dog access.
- First-aid is on-site at the main pavilion entrance.
The Caboolture Show 2026 is one of the easier major regional events to attend with kids: short drive, predictable schedule, fireworks every night, a properly run rodeo, and accommodation walking distance from the gate. The 99th show is also the year before the 100th, which is being heavily anticipated locally. The 2026 event is a good warm-up.
Book your Caboolture Show 2026 stay direct. We’re a five-minute drive from the gates and we’ll have your key ready when you arrive.
Image credit: Caboolture Showgrounds, Caboolture