Mullumbimby Show 2026 Guide: Woodchops, Rides And A Hinterland Stay

Why The Mullumbimby Show Is Worth Planning A Weekend Around

The Mullumbimby Agricultural Show is the Brunswick Valley's annual country show, run by the Mullumbimby Agricultural Show Society at the town's showground. It is not a big-city royal show with crowds you have to fight through. It is a proper local show, where farmers, riders, bakers, schoolkids, truckies and craftspeople all get their turn, and where visitors can see a side of the Byron hinterland that most holiday itineraries skip.

That is exactly why it suits a stay in Middle Pocket. Most guests come to this part of the Northern Rivers for green valleys, creeks, markets and quiet. The show puts all of that into one lively weekend: livestock and horses in the rings, woodchoppers at work, local produce and crafts in the pavilion, rides and show bags for the kids, and live bands and fireworks for the grown-ups.

It also lands at a good moment in the calendar. Early November is late spring, the hinterland is at its greenest, the days are long and the evenings are usually warm enough to sit outside. School is back after the spring holidays, so Friday at the show has a different, more local rhythm than the weekend.

Mullumbimby Show 2026: Dates, Venue And Tickets

The official show website lists the 2026 show for 6th, 7th and 8th November 2026 at Mullumbimby Showground, 62 Main Arm Road, Mullumbimby NSW 2482. That is Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

When we checked in late September 2026, the website gave two slightly different ticket release notes: one says tickets are available from 1 October 2026 and another says online sales open from mid October. The gate price line was also still labelled with the 2025 show. None of that changes the basic plan, but it does mean you should check the official site before the weekend and buy the online pass early if you want both days.

The show society also offers memberships at $15 for adults and $7.50 for children, which include a wristband covering both days. These are sold at the show office on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November, from 9am to 3pm, and are aimed at sponsors, volunteers and people with a role at the show.

The Country Heart Of The Show: Horses, Cattle And Woodchops

If you only have a few hours, start with the things that make it an agricultural show. The 2026 attractions list includes woodchops, traditional woodworking activities, an all breeds horsemanship challenge, show jumping, a trotting display, horses and beef cattle.

The woodchop is the easiest to enjoy with no background at all. The noise, the speed and the crowd cheering the last few strokes make it a highlight for most visitors, children included. Find out the woodchop times on the day and get there a little early for a spot with a clear view.

The horse events run through the weekend. Show jumping entries for 2026 open on 27 October and close on 5 November, and the all breeds challenge has its own entry window, which tells you both are serious competition rather than a side attraction. Most other horse classes enter on the day at the Pony Club shed. For visitors, the practical takeaway is simple: the horse rings are busy across the show, so you can wander over whenever the kids need a quieter break from sideshow alley.

The beef cattle section has its own schedule too, with entries closing on 31 October. Walking the cattle lines is a good chance to see local breeders up close. Keep children beside you, follow any signs and ask before touching animals.

Action, Engines And Spectacle

The 2026 list leans heavily into crowd-pleasers. Expect the Airtime FMX bike show, mower racing, motorbike barrel racing, an HLS trick riding show, the Mullumbimby Truck Show, and a Show 'n' Shine display of cars and motorbikes. Antique machinery also features, which tends to draw a crowd of people quietly explaining old engines to each other.

These events are loud and fast, which is part of the fun. If you have younger children or a family member who dislikes noise, plan to watch from further back or bring ear protection for little ones. Check arena times on the official timetable once it is released, because the bigger displays usually draw the most people and the best viewing spots fill early.

The truck show is worth a look even if you are not a truck person. Local operators often put real work into presentation, and it gives the show a very Northern Rivers flavour: working vehicles from a working district.

For Kids: Petting Zoo, Reptiles, Rides And Show Bags

Families will find plenty on the 2026 list: a children's petting zoo, Reptile World, Showmen's Guild rides and sideshow alley, show bags, clay play, a pet show and performances by Spaghetti Circus, the youth circus school based in Mullumbimby. Schools Rock is also on the program, putting local school performers on stage.

Rides and show bags are where a family budget can disappear quickly. Agree on a ride limit or a show bag budget before you walk through the gate. It saves a lot of negotiating later in the afternoon when everyone is tired.

With children under six free and a free Friday, the show is also a good value outing for young families. A realistic plan for toddlers is a morning visit: animals first, a few rides, lunch from a food truck, then home for a nap while older kids and adults go back later if they want.

Teenagers often enjoy the FMX, mower racing and the evening atmosphere more than the rides. Giving older kids a meeting point and a check-in time can let them explore while you watch the woodchop or browse the pavilion.

The Pavilion, Baking And A Colouring Competition

The pavilion is where the show turns personal. It holds the arts and crafts, produce and cookery sections, and the 2026 pavilion schedule includes the traditional fruit cake competition, with its own recipe and instructions, plus wool article and garment regulations. It is a shaded, quieter break from the sun and the noise, and it is often where you learn the most about the community.

Visitors can take part too. The show website has downloadable colouring competition sheets for both children and adults in 2026. If you plan to enter, download the sheet before you leave home and check how and when entries need to be delivered.

For formal pavilion entries, the show website lists online entries through Showday Online, manual entries dropped at the Mullumbimby Newsagency by Thursday 5 November, and all entries closing at 9am on Friday 6 November 2026. Entries must be delivered to the pavilion only on the days set out at the front of the schedule.

Even if you are not entering, spend twenty minutes walking the tables. Prize-winning jams, cakes, photography and craft are a small window into the valley, and children often enjoy spotting the ribbons.

Why There Is No Poultry Competition In 2026

Regular show-goers may notice one gap this year. The Mullumbimby Agricultural Show Society has withdrawn the poultry section from the 2026 show, following advice from its poultry chief steward and a NSW Department of Primary Industries teleconference on 14 September 2026.

The society explains that under DPI's current H5 bird flu management plan the poultry section could be cancelled without notice, and a 14-day post-show quarantine period now applies to any exhibited birds. The committee decided the safest course was to withdraw poultry for 2026, with the section expected to return in 2027. The society notes that the situation affects show societies across the region.

All other sections are going ahead as planned, including poultry-themed pavilion competitions. For visitors, this simply means there will be no live poultry judging this year. The petting zoo is still listed among the attractions, but if seeing a particular animal matters to your children, check with the show society closer to the date.

Friday At The Showground: Free Entry And The Farmers Market

Friday deserves a closer look. Show entry on Friday 6 November is listed as free, and every Friday the Mullumbimby Farmers Market runs from 7am to 11am at the Mullum Showgrounds on Main Arm Road, the same grounds as the show.

That creates an appealing idea for an early start: fresh local produce and coffee at the farmers market, then a look around the show on a free-entry day. We could not confirm how the market will operate alongside show preparations on 6 November, so check the market's own website or social channels in the week before. If the two do run together, parking and access may be busier than a usual Friday.

Friday is also a good day to arrive in the area. Guests coming up from Brisbane, the Gold Coast or further south can check in, shop for the weekend, and still have the Saturday and Sunday free.

Stage, Bar, Food And Fireworks

The stage line-up listed for 2026 includes Trouble of the Good, Swamp Cats and One Two Many Band. Add the bar and barbecue, a coffee van, food trucks and the King Brown Camp Oven King competition, and the show becomes an easy place to spend an afternoon into the evening.

Fireworks are on the 2026 attractions list. The night and time were not yet published when we checked, so look for them on the main timetable. Fireworks are one of the best reasons to stay late, especially for children who rarely get to be out after dark.

If you are staying for the fireworks, think about the drive home before the first drink. Middle Pocket is reached on country roads, and it is worth having a designated driver and taking it slowly after dark, when wildlife is more active on rural roads.

Food trucks and the barbecue will handle dinner, but lines can build around meal times. An early dinner at the show, or a picnic tea packed at the cottage, often works better with children.

Getting There From Middle Pocket

Middle Pocket is a small rural valley north of Mullumbimby and west of Billinudgel. Depending on your exact route, the showground on Main Arm Road is roughly 15 kilometres away by road. Allow around 20 to 25 minutes in normal conditions and more on show day, when traffic and parking near the showground will be busier.

Billinudgel, with its shops and the Pacific Motorway junction, is roughly 6 kilometres from Middle Pocket, and Brunswick Heads is around 11 kilometres. That makes it easy to split a show weekend between the valley, the showground and the coast without long drives.

On show day, leave earlier than you think you need to and have a plan for where to meet if the group splits up. Mobile coverage in hinterland valleys can be patchy, so agree on a physical meeting point inside the showground rather than relying on phones.

How To Pace Show Day With A Family Or Group

The biggest mistake at any country show is trying to see everything at once. Pick two or three must-see events from the timetable, build the day around them and let the rest happen in between.

Mornings are usually the easiest time for young children and for walking the animal areas. Early afternoon can be hot and busy, which suits the shade of the pavilion or a rest back at the house. Late afternoon and evening bring the stage, the food trucks and, on the right night, the fireworks.

For a group of mixed ages, splitting up is often the smartest move. One adult takes the younger children to the petting zoo and rides, another takes teenagers to the FMX, and everyone meets for lunch at a fixed time. Staying within half an hour of the showground makes that kind of flexible day much easier.

Bring water bottles, hats and sunscreen. Showgrounds involve a lot of walking on grass and gravel, so comfortable closed shoes are better than thongs, particularly around animals and machinery.

Bringing The Dog To The Show Weekend

The 2026 attractions list includes a pet show, which will interest anyone travelling with a dog. We could not find published rules about dogs at the showground for general visitors, so check directly with the show society before you bring one. Livestock areas, rides and fireworks are not ideal for most dogs even where they are allowed.

A practical option for many dog owners is to leave the dog settled at the accommodation, where permitted by the house rules, for the busiest part of the day. Hot cars are never an option in late spring.

Also note that the Mullumbimby Community Market says no dogs are allowed in the park on market day. Council rules for beaches and reserves also vary, so check each place separately before you go.

Make It A Long Weekend: Beach, Crystals And Markets

If you stay three nights, the show can be one part of a wider Brunswick Valley weekend. The easiest addition is the coast. Brunswick Heads is around 11 kilometres from Middle Pocket, so a Sunday morning swim or river walk is simple after a big day at the show. Check current surf conditions and patrol information on Beachsafe before swimming, and swim between the flags where a patrol is operating.

Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens, at 81 Monet Drive, Montecollum near Mullumbimby, is another good fit for a slower day. Its website lists opening hours of 10am to 5pm every day, with last entry at 4pm, gardens that include a kilometre of rainforest, and guided crystal sound sessions at set times. Check current ticket prices on its booking page.

If your trip moves to a different weekend, the Mullumbimby Community Market is held on the third Saturday of every month from 8am to 2pm at Summers Park, on the corner of Stuart and Myokum Streets. That puts upcoming market days on 17 October and 21 November 2026, not on show weekend, so it pairs well with a return visit.

Keep the extra outings short. After a full show day, most groups enjoy one easy activity and a long afternoon at the house more than a second busy day.

Why Figtree Creek Retreat Suits A Mullumbimby Show Weekend

Figtree Creek Retreat is a three-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage in Middle Pocket that sleeps up to six guests. For a show weekend, the value is in the contrast: a noisy, busy day at the showground, then a quiet valley to come home to.

Outside, the listing shows a pool and pool deck, an infrared sauna with a bucket pull to cool down, an outdoor fire pit, outdoor daybeds, hanging chairs, an outdoor swing and play equipment for the kids. There is also a swimming spot in the property's own creek, and chickens in a chicken pen. After a day in the sun and dust, a swim or a sauna and cold bucket is a very good way to reset.

Inside, the upstairs living and dining area sits under an A-frame roof with a hanging daybed and an open-plan kitchen, while the bedrooms are downstairs: a master suite with a king bed, a queen bedroom and a custom-built bunk bed room. A downstairs office with a dedicated workspace helps if someone needs to log on for a few hours on Friday.

The listing also offers an outdoor movie night at extra cost, which could be a fun low-key night for children who missed the fireworks or need a quieter evening. Pets are listed for the property. Confirm pet approval, any fees and house rules before booking.

You can see the full photo gallery and current availability on the Figtree Creek Retreat listing.

Who This Show Weekend Stay Suits

Young families are the most obvious fit. With under-sixes free at the show, a pool and play equipment at home, and a creek to explore, children can have a big day out and a gentle one back at the house. Recent guest reviews on the listing mention families with toddlers, school-age children and teenagers enjoying the creek, the outdoor spaces and the chickens.

Couples or two friends can use the cottage differently: Friday at the farmers market and the free show day, Saturday evening for the bands and fireworks, and Sunday for the sauna, the pool and a long lunch.

Small groups of up to six can share the three bedrooms and split the show between those who want the rides and those who want the woodchop and horses. Note that the cottage has one bathroom, so stagger showers after a dusty show day and plan a little extra time on the mornings you head out together.

Remote workers who want a Friday arrival can use the downstairs office before heading to the showground in the late afternoon, then have the weekend free.

A Relaxed Three-Day Mullumbimby Show Itinerary

Friday 6 November: Market Morning And Free Show Entry

If you arrive Thursday night, start early at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market, then look around the show on its free-entry day while crowds are lighter. Head back to Middle Pocket in the afternoon for a creek swim or pool session. If you arrive on Friday, shop for the weekend on the way in and keep the evening simple with the fire pit.

Saturday 7 November: The Big Show Day

Check the timetable and choose your must-see events. Go in the morning for the animals, woodchop and pavilion, take a mid-afternoon break at the house if the kids are flagging, then return for the stage, food trucks and fireworks if they are scheduled that night. Have a designated driver for the trip home.

Sunday 8 November: Slow Morning, Then Choose

Sleep in, have a slow breakfast and decide as a group. Some may want a last few hours at the showground, others a swim at Brunswick Heads, a visit to Crystal Castle, or simply the sauna and pool before check-out.

What To Pack For A Country Show Weekend

Pack for sun and dust first. Hats, sunscreen, sunglasses and refillable water bottles are essential, and closed, comfortable shoes are best for walking the grounds and animal areas.

Bring a light rain jacket or umbrella, since late spring storms are possible in the Northern Rivers, and a warmer layer for a late night at the fireworks. A small backpack is easier than a bag you need to hold.

Carry some cash as a backup in case a stall or ride does not take cards. For young children, pack snacks, wipes, a change of clothes and ear protection for the louder displays.

At the cottage you will want swimwear and towels for the pool and creek, and something warm for the fire pit. Check the listing for what linen and supplies are included before you shop.

Book Your Mullumbimby Show Weekend

Show weekend is a popular time in a small town, and nearby accommodation can fill early. If the dates suit your group, check availability for the Middle Pocket cottage near Mullumbimby and lock in your nights before you buy show tickets.

You can browse all WTP stays on the book your stay page, and find more local guides for the Byron hinterland and beyond in our WTP holiday home guides.

Before Leaving Home: Your Show Weekend Check