Joanna Holman

I’m off to the Melbourne Royal Show today. What started 175 years as a way for rural folk to gather and show off what they produced to city folk has grown into an unhinged extravaganza that’s parts theme park, petting zoo, food fair, agricultural trade expo, music festival, craft show and market for products usually only found on infomercials. Despite it being kind of expensive and sometimes tacky I love it because it’s such a feverdream of an event.

I’ll be posting the weird and wonderful things I find in this thread. To start with, here’s some well behaved cows

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Sep 30, 2023 at 2:28amWeb
Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Pick your capitalist dystopia in the showbags tent: university as merch empire or intro to police brutality for children

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023
This kid seems very chill despite all the kids everywhere
Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023
This is nugget. I’m delighted such a creature exists
Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Many of these dogs have much more elaborate beauty routines than I do

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Doge!!

#melbourneroyalshow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023
The kinds of people who accompany fancy dogs are almost as fascinating as the dogs but I’ll respect their privacy and only photograph the dogs
Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Just because you can make things out of cake doesn’t mean you should

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Can’t go to the show and not honour the tradition of eating Country Womens Association scones with jam and cream

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Extremely Australian architecture

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023
Imagine this doggo jumping on your bed in the middle of the night
Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Why are these creepy things such a pervasive feature of carnivals?

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

It’s really baffling how many people will pay a stranger $20 to fling them to dangerous heights on sketchy looking equipment that’s been dragged around the country on a truck

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

Not sure promoting police jobs this way will get them the optimal candidates….

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023

I think I’m starting to hallucinate. Might be time to go home…

#MelbourneRoyalShow

Show threadMaude NificentSep 30, 2023

@joannaholman

thanks for taking us to the show - it was fun 💐

Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023
@maudenificent You're welcome. Ended up going alone this year so it was fun to show people here
Show threadsneedy maccreedySep 30, 2023
@joannaholman wtaf
Show threadChookMother 🇦🇺🦘Sep 30, 2023
@joannaholman Especially when fatal accidents have happened quite recently in one's own home town (Adelaide).
Show threadAnnaSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman $20 a ride ?!
Show threadJoanna HolmanSep 30, 2023
@jellycrystals Yeah, that's what some of them cost if you're not buying ride credits in advance. Prices on a bunch of things at the Melbourne show have increased dramatically this year.
Show threadMark AsserSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman If they weren't penned up in carnivals they'd be out on the streets, disconcerting us daily.
Show threadLisSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman nawwww. An Old English Sheep Dog. Had one of those growing up. She was the best, most sweet and lovely dog you could ever imagine.
Show threadGraham PalmerSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman Just be sure he doesn’t have a pot of paint when he does it!
Show threadskuaSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman
Oh no.
That image should be export embargoed - national security risk.
Show threadskuaSep 30, 2023

@joannaholman
They say a Olympic Gold medal takes about $10 million in costs of coaches, facilities, grass-roots .... (Of which the actualy competitors AIUI receive little to nothing.)

And they spend that money to build a sense of national pride.

So how many Olympic gold medals would you trade to have The Big Pie disappear?

#Australia #TheBigObject #NationalPride #CulturalCringe

Show threadDeusSep 30, 2023
My search skills have failed me. It’s all coming back with how much it is worth and not the costs. Could you share some link please?
Show threadskuaSep 30, 2023

@joannaholman
Great to see you spotlighting Aussie culture.

Would like a slice of the sponge. 😀

Show threadChrisChinchillaOct 1, 2023
@joannaholman in 2019 I met the actual doge dog!
Show threadJoanna HolmanOct 1, 2023
@chrischinchilla what an honour!
Show threadChrisChinchillaOct 1, 2023
@joannaholman it even had a stunt double that arrived on site first 😂
Show threadJuliet and Indiana JonesSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman @stib
That style is not us!!!! 🐶 🐶
Show threadChookMother 🇦🇺🦘Sep 30, 2023
@joannaholman omg what is it? A corn dolly?
Show threadChrisChinchillaOct 1, 2023
@joannaholman oh I miss the show :)
Show threadskuaSep 30, 2023
@joannaholman
I think the technical term is "daddy cows".