Threads of Time

As part of Ekka’s 150th anniversary celebrations, the Show’s traditional fashion parade will transform into a dazzling theatrical production, taking audiences on a journey through 150 years of Ekka fashion.

From the 1890s to today, Threads of Time will bring the Ekka’s fashion history to life through striking outfits, dynamic dance choreography and for the first time in Ekka fashion history, live singing.

Created especially to mark this milestone year, the new format will turn the Show’s traditional runway parade into a theatrical showcase, telling the story of Ekka fashion in an entirely new way. The parade will be produced in collaboration with Grayboy Entertainment, an acclaimed Gold Coast production house with nearly 30 years’ experience delivering world-class theatre and large-scale live entertainment.

Presented three times daily across all nine days of Show, Threads of Time is set to be one of the standout highlights of Ekka 2026.

At the heart of Threads of Time is a playful time-travel storyline.

When a young girl spins the time wheel, the audience is swept into an unpredictable adventure through Ekka fashion’s greatest eras - which decade comes next is never certain, adding surprises and excitement at every turn.

The journey explores the elegant 1890s with waistcoats, corsets and top hats; the roaring 1920s alive with sequins, feathers, tuxedos and boas; the swinging 1960s bringing the mod dresses, mini skirts, pillbox hats and sharp suits; and the bold 1980/90s with neon, shoulder pads and statement styles.

The adventure finishes in the present day, celebrating natural fibres, contemporary runway looks and sustainable fashion through designs created by Billy Blue College of Design students.

Each era is set against an iconic Ekka backdrop - from livestock displays to Sideshow Alley and the much-loved EkkaNITES night show spectacular - and is brought to life through carefully curated styling, dynamic dance choreography and a soundtrack that evolves with the decades.