Fairfield Showground facts for kids
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| Location | 443 Smithfield Road, Prairiewood |
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| Coordinates | 33°52′00″S 150°54′20″E / 33.8667°S 150.9056°E |
| Owner | Fairfield City Council |
| Surface | Indoor and outdoor 2020 (Artificial turf for football venue) |
| Opened | 1950s 2020 (Opening of football venue) |
| Tenants | |
| Macarthur FC (A-League) and Northbridge Bulls (NPL NSW) training facility, (2021–present) | |
| Website | |
| Official Website: http://www.fairfieldshowground.com.au/ | |
Fairfield Showground is a big place in Prairiewood, New South Wales, Australia. It's used for many different activities, both indoors and outdoors. Since the 1970s, it has been a popular spot for fun events. These include festivals, horse racing, carnivals, and markets. Sometimes, as many as 20,000 people visit!
This showground is in western Sydney. It has about 10,000 square meters of indoor space. The whole area is huge, covering 33 hectares (79 acres). There's also parking for over 600 cars. Fairfield Showground is one of the largest festival areas in Greater Western Sydney. It was first built in the 1950s. The showground is surrounded by eucalyptus trees. A small stream called Orphan School Creek flows nearby.
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Fun Markets to Explore
Every Saturday, exciting markets are held at Fairfield Showground. They take place from 9 AM to 4 PM in a covered area. These markets are very popular. They have space for over 600 stalls. Entry is free, and there are many food and drink stands. Thousands of people visit every weekend.
You can find all sorts of things at the markets. There are toy stores, food booths, and dollar stores. You can also find sporting gear, groceries, and items for your garden. Jewelry and pet supplies are available too. Sometimes, special Aussie Night Markets are held once a month. These markets are famous for their international food. You can try Turkish, Korean, Chinese, and Mexican street food. There are over 40 food and dessert sellers. You can also find 20 craft stores and enjoy DJ music. The markets even have a special shopping section. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the markets sometimes had to close.
Kids can also find entertainment on most weekends. There are pony rides and a merry-go-round. You might see clown heads and a jumping castle. There's even a mini-train ride that goes around the bushy areas.
Cool Places and Activities
The Parklands Function Centre is a special building here. People use it for parties like engagements and weddings. It's also great for school reunions and award nights. Up to 250 people can fit inside. Right next to the Showground is an 18-hole public golf course. The function centre was also used for local elections in 2021.
A harness racing track used to be on the grounds. It operated from 1964 until 2017. It was then taken down to make space for new developments.
Deerbush Park Playground
Deerbush Park Playground opened in 2021. It's located near the Smithfield Road car park. This new playground replaced an older, smaller one. It was built carefully around the old eucalyptus trees. These trees provide shade and homes for local wildlife.
The park has many fun things to do. There are climbing ropes and a net course. Kids can enjoy a flying fox and a track to learn how to ride bikes. There's also a climbing net fort with a slide. You can find an accessible riverbed crossing and water play activities. These include a water pump and sand diggers. The park also has outdoor musical instruments like babel drums and chimes.
The playground is also great for children with disabilities. It has large liberty swings for wheelchairs. There's also a wheelchair-accessible carousel and a ground-level trampoline.
New Look and Upgrades
Since 2017, the showground has been greatly improved. Fairfield Council, the NSW Government, and the Federal Government worked together. They spent $28 million to upgrade the Showground. This included building three large sports fields. Two are for football, and one is for Australian rules football. The main football field has a special synthetic surface. It is approved by FIFA, the world football organization. The training field has real grass.
A sports training building was also built between the fields. The two main football fields are now complete. The Showgrounds are used as a training base for the A-League club Macarthur FC. They also serve as an extra ground for the Marconi Stallions FC. This is because Marconi Stadium was a training place for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.
Fairfield City Council has said the facilities could be used for the Commonwealth Games. They hope to host the 2026 or 2030 Games in Greater Western Sydney.
Helping During COVID-19
In July 2021, the showground was in the news. A COVID-19 testing clinic and a vaccination hub opened there. This area had many cases and a high demand for testing. People had to get tested often because of government rules. It was a drive-in testing place with limited road access. Traffic sometimes backed up for many kilometers. Waiting times could be up to 6 hours. The demand became easier when another facility opened nearby.
Festivals and Culture
Many different cultures celebrate at Fairfield Showground. Assyrian Australians celebrate their Assyrian New Year every year on April 1. Thousands of people attend this festival. It features music, plays, and traditional dancers. There are also food stalls and fireworks. Important people like former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott have attended. Other politicians like Chris Bowen and Tanya Plibersek have also visited. The Assyrian Australian band Azadoota often performs there.
The showground also hosts Australia's first and largest Eid Festival. This festival started in 1987. It has grown to welcome tens of thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims. Famous guests have included Yusuf Islam and footballer Hazem El-Masri.
The Chinese New Year is also celebrated here every year. Over 60,000 people attend this event. More than 40,000 people come for the annual Vietnamese New Year. This festival lasts for three days. Both events feature fireworks, rides, and cultural shows. These include exciting dragon dancing.
The Fairfield Easter Fair is another popular event. It has amusement rides like Bumper cars. You can see a blacksmith exhibition and farm animals. There's an easter egg hunt and sheep shearing demonstrations. Reptile shows and fireworks are also part of the fun. A Uruguayan festival is held every August. It has been running for almost 30 years. This festival has raised $2 million for charity. It features hundreds of performers and live music. It is one of the biggest outdoor Latin festivals in Western Sydney.
Famous music groups have also performed here. AC/DC played at the venue in 1975. They performed songs from their first album, High Voltage.
How to Get There
The Liverpool-Parramatta Rapid Bus Transitway has a station near the showground. There are also several bus stops around the area. These are served by Transit Systems Sydney. The main entrance is on Smithfield Road. There is another entrance on Moonlight Road, to the west. A sign there shows the way into the showground.
See also
- Stockland Wetherill Park, a shopping center nearby
