Lauren’s Ultimate Guide to Showbags for 2026

I absolutely love going to the Royal Adelaide Show. One of the highlights of the show is the showbags. Maybe it’s because it’s novel and you can’t get them in any other context, or because it’s fun to pick out your faves. Either way, even as an adult, getting a showbag is part of the Royal Adelaide Show experience. I’ve done a showbag review for the last couple years and my advice is the same, so if you want to go back and read last year’s you can do that here:   

As a refresher, though, the main takeaways of my advice are:  

• Check the website before you go to see what bags catch your eye.  I had 2-3 I liked the look of that I then sought out in person when I got there  

• Always have a back up option.  Sometimes they sell out quickly, or it isn’t quite what you thought when you look in person so its good to have a few you want to check out.

• Go to the show bag pavilion last.  You don’t want to be lugging around unnecessary things all day. Or at least be strategic when you go to the pavilion. Maybe just before you go to the night show activities at the main arena.  

In previous years, I have purchased the Marie Claire showbag, the Stella Athletics showbag, Tilly and Co,  and the Conscious Store showbag. I think these are all great options still this year too, I just didn’t want to get the same twice.  

When I’m choosing a showbag, I look at whether  I’m going to use or consume the products in the bag. As in, they’re things I know and love already. I also think about whether there is any product on my wish list that may be a drawcard for me. For example, my favourite colour is yellow, so the option of a yellow drink bottle in the Stella Athletics showbag might be a drawcard for me, even though I’ve bought this showbag in the last few years.  

I then look at the value for money. Some showbags are packed so full that their value far exceeds the price you pay. I like to lean towards these. 

Showbags I had my eye on this year
 

Showbags I actually bought

Hershey’s x Reese’s Showbag

I really love the cookies and cream chocolates that Hershey’s makes. I’ve also never had a Reese’s peanut butter cup before, so I was intrigued by this one. In terms of value for money, it is a little disappointing. Paying $15 for $18 worth of value is a little lacklustre. If I were buying another food/snack based showbag, I’d probably choose something else next time.  

And if you’re wondering, it turns out I’m not a huge fan of the peanut butter cup. 

Better Homes and Gardens Showbag 

I was really tossing up between this showbag and the Woman’s Weekly one. They are both so similar. Maybe it was the choice of a cheeseboard or the fact that it included a ginger beer (my fave drink right now), but the decision was made. 

 I had to laugh. There are four separate clothes-cleaning products in this showbag. It seems Better Homes and Gardens customers really struggle to get those pesky stains out.  
 
Between the 1.8-litre bottle of Biozet Attack Laundry Detergent, the cheeseboard, and the three magazines, this showbag was HEAVY! It was the last thing I picked up at the show, and lugging it all the way back to my car was a struggle. That possibly says more about my upper body strength than anything else, but I thought it was worth mentioning. 

If I were to have a wider showbag budget, I think I’d go back and purchase the Stella Athletics showbag and/or the Conscious Store showbag. I actually have been thinking about purchasing some of the products in both of those showbags anyway, so it kind of just makes sense.  

Showbags I’m confused by

I understand that I am not the target audience for many of the showbags on offer, but there are a few that I am just so confused by.  

Jaws came out so many years ago. Has it had a resurgence I don’t know about? And these merch items are all just the movie poster. It would have been good to have a bit of variety or something: 

The new Toy Story film doesn’t even feature this character. This doesn’t make any sense to me: 
 

If you wanted to have a look at the showbags I took home, I posted a haul on my personal TikTok that you can access here.

Deciding what showbag to buy is gigantically unserious in the grand scheme of things. I want to acknowledge how privileged I am to enjoy the luxury of attending an iconic event such as the Royal Adelaide Show. 
 
I hope this has helped you to consider showbags as an addition to your Royal Adelaide Show experience!