Sydney Showground secures MEA’s 2021/22 Best Event Venue, capacity more than 1000

June 9, 2023

Sydney Showground has been named Australia’s ‘Best Event Venue, capacity more than 1,000’ at the 2021 -2022 Meeting and Events Australia (MEA) awards held last night on the Gold Coast.

Judged over a 24-month period, the venue demonstrated its ability to adapt and evolve to the needs of the event industry and clients while contributing positively to the return of events in Australia.

Over the qualifying period, Sydney Showground excelled in a range of areas, including the execution of the 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show, its Covid support model for event planners, and the management of staffing and its broader business throughout the pandemic.

Sydney Showground General Manager, Darryl Jeffrey shared “It is a great honour and achievement to be named MEA’s 2021-2022 Best Event Venue, capacity more than 1000. It is a testament to our team’s passion and dedication to not only our venue but the wider Australian event industry.

“As an organisation run by a not-for-profit business, the challenges faced by Sydney Showground during this time were substantial - we had to rethink our business strategy and find ways to secure our business’ future by working alongside clients to get events back up and running.”

To secure its future, Sydney Showground successfully revisited its business strategy in 2021 to focus on viable contracts such as film and Government leasing while also building a ‘covid support’ document that supported clients during uncertain times.

In addition, the venue hosted the 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show, which was the largest ticketed event in the world to take place at the time, working side by side with its parent company, the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, to deliver a safe and successful event that led the way for many other organisers post-pandemic.

Jeffrey added “It is through the pure determination of innovative leaders and staff that has seen the Australian event industry get back to where it is today. I congratulate all winners and finalists on continuing to deliver incredible events despite the challenges faced.”

For more information about Sydney Showground or to plan your next event, please visit the website.

Image top: 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show Dome; image centre: Meg Hooton, Andrew Roberts, Caylie Bush; image above: 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show

19th April 2023 - 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show welcomed 880,000 people

9th February 2023 - New night-time entertainment and refreshed website for 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show

20th December 2022 - Sydney Royal Easter Show receives international recognition at renowned IAFE Awards

16th July 2022 - Three men charged with murder over Sydney Royal Easter Show stabbing death

8th June 2022 - Teenager pleads guilty to role in deadly Sydney Royal Easter Show brawl

15th May 2022 - 900,000 visits claimed for 2022 Sydney Royal Easter Show

12th April 2022 - Teenage worker killed after stabbing at Sydney Royal Easter Show

11th April 2022 - Sydney Royal Easter Show ride shut down after operating with unrestrained child

9th April 2022 - Princess Anne opens bicentennial Sydney Royal Easter Show

2nd March 2022 - Princess Anne to open 2022 Sydney Royal Easter Show

23rd April 2021 - 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show welcomes 800,000 attendees over its 12 days

31st March 2021 - Fair Trading approves 375 showbags for sale at Sydney Royal Easter Show

29th March 2021 - Quayclean shares COVIDSafe plan for 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show

9th February 2021 - 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show to proceed under COVIDSafe rules

13th March 2020 - Coronavirus fears see cancellation of Sydney Royal Easter Show

24th April 2019 - 2019 Sydney Royal Easter Show welcomes 900,000 visitors

20th December 2018 - The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and Sydney Royal Easter Show receive multiple awards

20th November 2018 - Sydney Royal Easter Show Innovative Program nominated for Australian Event Award

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.