Introduction
Royal Perth Show is recognised as one of the much-anticipated annual events hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA). Royal Perth ShowholdsAustralian agricultural gains with colourful family-friendly entertainment for communities (Perth Royal Show, 2024). The event was recently held at the Claremont Showground for local wherein the local farmers, artisans, and exhibitors have gathered to celebrate the agricultural heritage of Western Australia. I was the attendant, given the opportunity to be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the various activities including, livestock competitions, cultural exhibitions, and amusement rides. This reflective essay critically reflects on my personal experience at the Royal Perth Show covering discussions on relevant theories and concepts. The analysis will explore howthe experiences at the event have shaped my interpretation of event management, community building, and personal and professional development. Finally, reflections are made on how personal beliefs have changed consideringthe approach to future academic and professional efforts within the industry of tourism and events.
Main Body
Event Details
The event was titled, “Royal Perth Show” and was organised with the assistance of the Agricultural Society of Western Australia. The event starts on 21 September 2024 and lasts till 28 September 2024 under the category of agricultural fair and exhibition. The Royal Perth Show held was at Claremont Showground in Perth (Perth Royal Show, 2024). The event place consisted of a large space and divided areas such as agricultural pavilions, carnival rides, food courts, exhibition halls, and animal enclosures that allowedsmooth navigation to all parts of the eventwithout difficulty. The main areas of the event included farm animals, live performances and competitions, an amusement park section with rides and games, as well as food and beverage stalls showing off WesternAustralian local and international cuisines. Moreover, exhibitions of artsand crafts, and displaying the creative talents of Western Australian communities were organised at the event.
The event site consists of several programs and activities laid to engage visitors towards traditions of the Western Australian agricultural society. The event exhibition stalls displayed traditional crafts and heritage of Western Australian agricultural culture (Appendix 1). The event images display the adoption of innovative agricultural equipment, Drones as the extended helping hand for farmers (Appendix 3). Furthermore, entertainment and shows were part of the event wherein visitors could take rides and engage in competitive farming that helps educate individuals about the Western Australian farming culture (Appendix 4, Appendix 6).
Theme
Theme 1: Agricultural Heritage and Innovation
The Royal Perth Show showcases Western Australia’s agricultural heritage under its core theme including initiatives to develop community spirit, integrate innovation, and focus on sustainability initiatives. The theme establishes an environment wherein farmers parade their best livestock and produce (Appendix 6). This theme is further expressed in exhibits featuring the latest in agriculture, especially precision farming tools and methods of sustainable farming. Drones, for instance, have increasingly come to be used in modern agriculture practices; one such event is demonstrating their use at this show (Appendix 3). The primary uses of drones in agriculture include precision mapping, crop monitoring, and even planting seeds. These drones allow farmers to view large areas easily, check for crop diseases in fields, and optimize irrigation, all of which contribute to more efficient and sustainable farming. A live demo was also open to public view at the Royal Perth Show on how drone technology can transform from conventional farming to one that is much more effective yet at the same time environmentally friendly. This aspect, thus is in line with the theme of innovation the event has since depicted how the agricultural sector is changing its ways for modern challenges.
Theme 2: Sustainability
A critical component of the event theme is sustainable agriculture practices. The Royal Perth Show promotes sustainable farming such as organic farming while using renewable resources. The theory of triple-bottom-line suggests balancing economic, social, and environmental factors in planning events (Tseng et al., 2020). This theory suggests the sustainable use of resources that guides the success of the event. Tinnish and Mangal (2012) emphasize the importance of incorporating sustainable practices within event management focusing on reducing environmental harm through eco-friendly practices, energy-efficient technologies, and adoption of corporate social responsibilities. The educational displays in the event ranging from waste reduction to conserving water use illustrated the importance of sustainability concerns taken within the event. The sustainability theme of theevent highlights the need to support local farmers and artisansusing traditional practices that reduces the carbon footprints and resultant less harm to environment compared with contemporary practices. It promotes the consumption of more products that are locally sourced, which would, of course, reduce the carbon footprints involved with importing from another region. It can be found in food stalls, where ingredients are sourced from local farming, and in artisan stalls selling handmade and eco-friendly products.
Theme 3: Community and Cultural Celebration
This theme of event symbolises an expression of a sense of community in that they bring people together towards a common objective. The theory of community engagement defines the success of events in a scenario where they provide people with a feeling of belonging and participation (Anthony, 2024). This event promoted community interaction assisting in strengthening urban and rural populations, which also aligns with ideas related to social cohesion and building community identity. The Royal Perth Show gives a public space where the city and countryside residents can gather together. It has something for every individual family-friendly rides and games, cultural performances, or cooking demonstrations; hence proving that community activities play a critical role in integrating society.
Program
According to Getz and Page (2019),event success is initially determined by defining strong planning and effective strategy development before executing the event. The programs at the Royal Perth Show followed careful planning structures and strategies before the execution of the event. The Royal Perth Show program can broadly be classified including, agricultural exhibitions and competitions, entertainment and performances, amusement rides and games, and food and craft displays.
Agricultural Exhibitions and Competitions were the core aspects of the Royal Perth Show in its agricultural exhibitions. These exhibits provide glimpsesof the rich agricultural industry of Western Australia and the rural lifestyle. Livestock competitions form part of the show and include cattle, sheep, horses, and poultry among others (Appendix 6). Besides livestock, there are competitions in horticulture with the best of local fruits vegetables, and flowers, and produce awards for local artisans in categories such as dairy, honey, and baked goods (Appendix 2). Furthermore, rides and games were another attraction that the Royal Perth Show. It spreads over a huge part of the exhibition ground, thus offering a wide variety of amusement rides and games for all kinds of people, both young and old. Game stalls, where one can win prizes, are also there and add to the fun and exciting environment. Finally, the food and craft displaysform another integral part of the Royal Perth Show program. The exhibition consists of various food stalls that vary from traditional Australian barbecue to craft baking.
Stakeholder Communication
The Royal Perth Show develops an effective communication strategy that facilitates communication with stakeholders during the pre-event, event, and post-event periods. Such an approach ensures that the event will be successful because it cuts across different groups of attendees and vendors to sponsors and volunteers.
Pre-Event
According to Derom et al. (2023), pre-event communication planning helps to ensure a successful event by providing alerts and acknowledgments to targeted attendees of the event. The RASWA uses a central official website to provide all information. This website makes provision for well-detailed schedules, ticketing options, maps, and a rundown of key attractions to ensure that potential visitors can plan their experience. Social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, are also used to create anticipation through regular posts and tweets about the events, including sneak peeks into planned activities. They also offer interaction with the audience answering questions and responding to feedback through these means.
During Event
Ground communication is supplemented by signage and information booths, and a dedicated mobile app was even designed for the event that provides real-time updates including, schedule changes, activities' location, and even emergency notifications. All signage around the showground is well done and abundant, both in directing attendees to pavilions and exhibition areas and necessary services like restrooms and first aid stations. Volunteers and staff located in specific areas of the event also play a crucial role in ensuring that the event runs smoothly and people are provided with help whenever necessary.
After Event
According to Othman et al. (2020),event communication assists in gathering feedback, interface management, and facilitates stakeholder interaction. After the event, feedback is gathered by way of distributing surveys among all those who attended, including vendors and exhibitors, for their experience and to pinpoint where improvement is needed in the coming years. Using social media and email newsletters, key event highlights, appreciation, and information on future events are communicated. This continuous interaction helps in building a loyal community of participants for the following years.
Stakeholder details
Event Organiser
The most significant stakeholder is the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA) that organises and operates the entire event. RASWA oversees the entire exhibition and ensures that all licensing, exhibitors, vendors, and other relations necessary are achieved throughout the year. RASWA is central to the hosting of the Royal Perth Show. It oversees the interests of all other stakeholders and ensures not only that the event achieves all its objectives in promoting agriculture and community engagement but also that it does not impede the practices of agriculture through hurtful or unsound practices in society.
Exhibitors and Vendors
The key stakeholders are the exhibitors such as farmers, livestock breeders, and artisans. They participate in the event to exhibit their products, challenge themselves to various contests, and meet the public. These people are crucial in ensuring that the focus of the event maintains its agricultural nature and integrity. Vendors, particularly those offering food, drinks, and wares, form another crucial stakeholder group. This group is integral to the economy of the event since they offer services and items that complement the event and activity of visitors.
Visitors
The visitors, whether families, tourists, or members of the community, become one of the most important stakeholders as their immediate involvement leads to the fulfilment of the set goals through their attendance. It would thus be essential that they are content with the event, and the Royal Perth Show will ensure that various diverse activities can be offered to keep different age groups with different interests interested. Their feedback after the show will also form part of any future versions of the show.
Volunteers and Staff
Volunteers play a crucial role in the logistics of the event. They assist in various ways including ticketing, guiding the attendees to the exhibition areas, and providing first aid at times when accidents take place. Without them, it would be tough to conduct the event in a very successful manner.
Services and Consumables
The Royal Perth Show has a package of services and consumables to ensure one fully enjoys the show. It caters to the ranging needs of participants: basic amenities and entertainment, food, drinks, and other essential products.
Food and Beverages
One of the most salient consumable offerings made at the Royal Perth Show is the diversified food and drinks. All visitors enjoy all the food stalls available, which provide for so many tastes and dietary requirements. The local food vendors make sure Western Australia is at its best in exhibiting agricultural produce with fresh, local, and sustainable produce. There are also beverage stalls selling fresh juices, locally brewed beers, wines, and soft drinks.
Retail Stalls and Craft Vendors
There were hundreds of retail stalls selling different merchandise including, handmade crafts, local artisan products, clothing, and agricultural tools. This will serve as a retail experience for people to enjoy purchases of unique, locally made goods - which is right in keeping with the mission statement of the event, supporting local businesses and artisans. The craft vendors support eco-friendly aspects in that they sell sustainable products, made by hand, and even recycled materials.
Services for Visitors
The Royal Perth Show offers a comprehensive range of services to visitors for comfort and convenience. The general amenities such as toilets, changing stations, and accessible facilities for persons with disabilities are placed in every location on the event site. Directions, schedules, and other general questions can be aided by the information booths that are placed at different entry points for visitors. Security and first aid facilities are offered to ensure the safety of all visitors.
Waste management and sustainability
To align with the sustainability vision of the show, the Royal Perth Show focuses much emphasis on the proper disposal of waste. By placing recycling stations on several grounds around the event, the event encourages visitors to differentiate between recyclable and non-recyclable waste. Vendors are encouraged to use eco-friendly packets and biodegradable utensils to minimize the footprint that this event has on the environment. Sustainability and conservation education form the nucleus of the stalls around the event. Topics covered include the reduction of waste, sustainable farming, and environmental protection.
Personal Reflection
One of the things that made the show great for me was being able to interact directly with the local artisans as well as the farmers. I was happy to learn more about the Western Australian rural heritage as it is still cherished and celebrated in modern times. Spending time with livestock exhibitors and artisans made me realise how much effort goes into the products and services that I rarely take for granted in usual life practices. The event created a family-friendly environment, making one feel part of something greater than oneself. However, I had a few challenges mainly, such as having to walk through massive crowds and keeping track of the highly packed program. Because many things were occurring simultaneously, sometimes the most difficult aspect was trying to decide which to go to when. Overall, I learned better the intricacy involved in managing a big-scale community event.From an academic point of view, the Royal Perth Show brought together most of the concepts I covered in class in TOU503. One of them is community engagement being a common representation through the different forms of interactive displays, workshop sessions, or even competitions. Furthermore, event sustainability, the direction of locally produced products, and waste management practices are tied into concepts learned within the class regarding sustainable event management. There was an emphasis on ensuring a reduced impact on the environment through biodegradable materials and encouragement for recycling as part of the messaging associated with the event. It showed how sustainability practices can be strongly at the heart of an event.
Conclusion
The Royal Perth Show demonstrated the potential that community events can have in furthering education, entertainment, and sustainable practices in society while maintaining belonging. Personal Insight: By organizing and participating in the event, I was able to see firsthand the management difficulties encountered during event management as well as the contribution such events make to local communities and the greater good for society. A whole other suite of seminal theories came alive during the event. The academic understanding was enriched, as far as community engagement and sustainable practices are concerned, and the experience economy came to a new light. Professionally, it inspired me to think about how I could make contributions so that I would be impactful in doing memorable future events. Overall, the Royal Perth Show emphasised the importance of well-organized shows in community ties, sustainability, and economic development, leaving very impactful marks on all visitors and stakeholders.
Appendix
Appendix 1: Royal Perth Show exhibition stalls
Appendix 2: Agricultural Exhibitions and Competitions
Appendix 3: Agricultural Innovation
Appendix 4: Entertainment and Shows
Appendix 5: Food and craft displays
Appendix 6: Livestock
