28

EntertainmentTHE MAIN ARENA WILL COME ALIVE EACH NIGHT WITH THE SPECTACULAR NEVER BEFORE SEEN NIGHT SHOW, EKKANITES - FEATURING WORLD FIRSTS AND SHOWCASING INCREDIBLE FEMALE TALENT. THE NIGHT SHOW IS MADE UP OF FOUR MAIN PARTS - TRADITION, THE HOT WHEELS HIGH OCTANE SHOW, LIVE MUSIC AND OF COURSE THE BREATHTAKING FIREWORKS FINALE.

THE WORLD-CLASS SHOW WILL FEATURE A BRAND NEW DESIGN, MORE EXTREME SPORTSA TRIBUTE TO AUSSIE MUSICA BRAND NEW FIREWORKS SHOW FEATURING PYROTECHNICS NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN AUSTRALIATHE HOT WHEELS HIGH OCTANE SHOW FEATURING THE WORLD FIRST SPHERE OF DEATH, A JET ENGINE PROPELLED MINI CAR, HOT WHEELS BRANDED V8 DRIFT CARS AND THE MOST NUMBER OF FMX BIKES EVER SEEN AT EKKA JUMPING A HELICOPTER WITH ROTATING BLADES.

SIT BACK AND PREPARE TO BE WOWED!

28

29

AUGUST 5 AUGUST 6-14 EKKANITES5:15pm 5:15pm Sheep Dog Demonstrations with Dave Sharp

5:00pm 5:30pm Trots

5:30pm 5:45pm Woodchop Champions - Country versus City

6:00pm Ride and Drive - QLD versus NSW

5:45pm 6:15pm RACQ LifeFlight Helicopter

6:25pm Lone Ranger Stunt

6:45pm 6:40pm Penny Farthing Race

6:55pm 6:45pm National Anthem featuring the Guruman Dancers and Brandon Woods

7:05pm 6:55pm A Tribute to Aussie Music with the songs of Cold Chisel, Keith Urban and Kylie Minogue

7:20pm 7:10pm Heroes of the Outback

7:30pm 7.20pm Agro's Ekka Return

7:35pm 7:25pm Hot Wheels High Octane Show

7:50pm 7:45pm Fireworks Spectacular

8:00pm 8:00pm Meet the Stars of EkkaNITES

29

30

NIGHT SHOW COMPERESKIMBERLEY BUSTEED Former Miss Universe Australia, Kimberley Busteed, is the Ekka’s very first female night show compere. After winning the national beauty pageant when she was just 18 years old, Kimberley went on to become a presenter and segment producer on Channel 7 lifestyle programs ‘Queensland Weekender’ and ‘Creek to Coast.’ Kimberley has also worked on global campaigns such as Olivia Newton John’s 2008 ‘Great Walk to Beijing.’

MARK FORBESFormer sports journalist, Mark Forbes, will co-host EkkaNITES with Kimberley. Mark does ground hosting and PA work for Queensland Cricket, the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns, as well as hosting in corporate areas for the Brisbane Broncos home games. Mark has also appeared on TV screens, presenting Harness Racing.

TRADITIONPENNY FARTHING RACE The audience will be riding back in time when the Penny Farthings make their very first appearance in EkkaNITES. These impressive big-wheeled bikes from the Queensland Penny Farthing Historical Club will race around the track on the Main Arena.

TROTS The legendary trots will be back in 2016 to wow the crowds and stomp their mark on the Main Arena. The hot to trot horses and their brave drivers will entertain all with this true Ekka tradition.

WOODCHOP CHAMPIONS - COUNTRY VERSUS CITY The axes will be swinging in this showdown of pure strength! The audience will cheer on their chosen team, as the talented axe men and women put their woodchop skills to the test in a Jack and Jill relay race – just who will come out on top, Country or City?

Sheep DOG DEMONSTRATIONS WITH DAVE SHARP How well trained is your dog? Witness professional sheep dog handler Dave Sharp guide a mob of sheep with precision around the arena with his clever K9 dogs, showcasing the close working relationship between a farmer and his trusted best friend.

NATIONAL ANTHEM GURUMAN DANCERS The internationally acclaimed Guruman (meaning kangaroo) Dancers will perform nightly. The group’s goal is to protect and revitalise language and culture through traditional dance. Members of the group have performed all over the world, including in Denmark, U.S.A, Canada and Russia.

EMILY WURRAMARABrisbane’s Emily Wurramara will sing the National Anthem each night of show. The talented 20 year old is already a seasoned performer, having taken to the stage at festivals in France and Sweden and at Woodford Folk Festival in Australia. Emily has also received some 2016 Queensland Music Award nominations and when her first single debuted on the AMRAP charts it stayed in the top 10 for more than a month.

31

BRANDON WOODS Electric violinist Brandon Woods is one of the most unique musicians in Brisbane. He’s taken the traditional Celtic style of fiddle music into the future, by adding the elements of electronic and hip-hop music. Brandon is competing in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angles, California, in July. He’ll perform each night at Ekka as part of the National Anthem.

QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE Queensland’s first female police highway patrol motorbike riders will feature as part of the National Anthem, along with squad cars and Mounted Police horses.

OPENING CEREMONYWHEN: FROM 6PM, FRIDAY AUGUST 5On the first night of show each year, a special opening ceremony is held to welcome Ekka guests from across the state. The Mounted Police and 8th/9th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment Army Brigade will join in the ceremony and The Governor of Queensland Justice Paul de Jersey will also attend.

HOT WHEELS HIGH OCTANE SHOW HOT WHEELS The pink and blue Hot Wheels drift utes will tear around the Main Arena in a time trial not to be missed. It’s boy versus girl in this action packed race, guaranteed to have the crowd glued to the edge of their seats. Putting pedal to the metal in the pink ute will be Queensland born and bred Renee Gracie, aka Devil Princess. She’ll be tough competition to beat! Then for the first time ever at Ekka, the Hot Wheels Stadium Truck will hit a jump, launching high into the air. The crowd will also fall in love with nine year old Madz Mingay, who will be tearing around in his very own custom built mini Trophy Truck.

RENEE GRACIE (AKA DEVIL PRINCESS) Born and bred in Queensland, Renee Gracie made history in Australian motorsport when she was just 18 years old, becoming the first ever female V8 Supercar driver to compete in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia - one of the top Porsche race outfits in the southern hemisphere. Renee will contest this year's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 alongside Swiss open wheel ace, Simona De Silvestro. The 21 year old has a highly competitive desire to take on and beat the best in the business – no wonder she’s known as Devil Princess!

FMX FREESTYLE KINGS The most FMX riders ever seen at Ekka will be flying through the air, as the Freestyle Kings show off their aerial tricks and wow the crowd. Six of the best riders in the world, including international female FMX superstar rider Vicki Golden, will perform the most daring tricks in the sport, including launching themselves over a Pterodactyl helicopter with rotating blades! Watch on as FMX superstars Josh Hannah, Pat Bowden, Brodie Markham, Jake Smith, Pete Anderson and Vicki Golden backflip, superman and jump high in the air above the Main Arena.

THE GOLDEN GIRL OF EKKANITES - VICKI GOLDEN American FMX superstar Vicki Golden is flying half way around the globe to rip it up at EkkaNITES for the very first time. The golden girl of the night show is the only woman in history to qualify for a men’s National AMA Supercross championship and she has three Gold X Games Medals under her belt. The professional Freestyle and Supercross rider is also the first female team member of Metal Mulisha. Proving she’s got guts, Vicki made a name for herself in racing when she travelled through an ice-storm for 1,000 miles to get to Denver in 2011, in her bid to become the first woman to qualify for an Arenacross main event – and that she did! Inspired by her brother and father, Vicki began racing at the age of seven and her career really took off at age 16 when she won the Women’s Amateur National Champion title at the AMA Loretta Lynn’s amateur Championship.

32

THE SPHERE OF DEATH Mechanical mad scientist Sam Xuereb is back with a never before seen creation. The world first Sphere of Death, powered by a V8 Monster Truck engine, is 4 metres in diameter and travels 11 metres in one rotation – with Sam strapped inside! Sam has created Monster Trucks for the last three EkkaNITES, but this takes it to a whole new level. Sam’s inspiration for this crazy creation came from his fascination with rollover vehicles. He came up with the unique design with the help of his 13 year old son, Jarryd – who is following in his father’s footsteps as an inventor.

GO GIRLS - 'SCI-FLEET TOYOTA MX RACING DIVAS'It’s girl power all the way as the female motocross riders speed into the Main Arena. The awesome foursome - Jamie Sanders, Chelsea Carter, Cheyenne Taylor and Chrissy McCarthy, will rip up the dirt track at high speed. The teenagers from Queensland ride like girls - so try to keep up!

THE COMBAT DRAGON AND BILLY BURN OUT Proving size doesn’t matter, the incredibly powerful Combat Dragon mini car is fitted with a jet engine and is sure to impress as it shoots 30ft flames out the back, leaving the sky ablaze. Travelling at speed, this pocket rocket will shake the ground as it performs the ultimate light show. It’s loud, it’s powerful, it’s extreme! Also taking to the Main Arena is Billy Burn Out. He’ll really get things smoking as he burns rubber on steel plates, showing the audience what he’s made of.

ACTION AND ENTERTAINMENT RIDE AND DRIVE - QLD VERSUS NSW Two forms of horse power will be on display in this exciting race to the finish line. Two riders, one from QLD and the other from NSW, will complete a horse jump race, before running to two vehicles and doing a handbrake turn in the dirt. They’ll race back to tag their partner, who will do the same course. The crowd will go crazy cheering for their state of origin!

LONE RANGER STUNT Imagine this – a rooftop trailer travels around the outside of the arena at speed lit up with LED lights. A galloping Aussie cowgirl appears, performing a series of tricks and stunts on her horse, before leaping from the horse onto the side of the trailer and climbing a ladder onto the roof. It’s action at its very best – dangerous, exciting and fast! The audience will then be introduced to a cowboy, who will attempt the same stunt as he races a clock on the big screen. Who will get the quickest time? The crowd will cheer on their favourite character in this never before seen Ekka show, guaranteed to make those watching catch their breath.

MIKAYLA JADETrick riding superstar Mikayla Jade has toured the globe with the world renowned Cirque De Solei show Cavalia. When she was just 15 years old, she became the youngest trick rider ever to join the Australian Outback Spectacular.

HEROES OF THE OUTBACK Heroes of the Outback is a first class arena spectacular show like no other, featuring world first horse and cattle stunts and true blue Aussie comedy. The crowd will be wowed as cattle climb to great heights - onto the roof of a truck! The show’s loveable bush characters, the Aussie Stockman Dave Manchon and American Cowboy Anthony Lucia, will compete against each other in an amusing storyline which encourages crowd participation and family fun. Heroes of the Outback, created especially for the Ekka, is a must see for anyone who ever wanted to put on a cowboy hat!

RACQ LIFEFLIGHT HELICOPTER The crowd will look to the sky at EkkaNITES as the iconic blue, white and yellow RACQ LifeFlight (formerly CareFlight) helicopter, flown by Chief Pilot Paul Forcier, hovers above the main arena to perform a mock rescue. During the display, a rescuer will be winched down to collect a person in trouble, airlifting them to safety to receive expert medical care.

AGRO'S EKKA RETURN Everyone’s favourite puppet, Agro, will have the crowd in stitches with his cheeky personality and naughty sense of humour. Operated by well-known comedian and media personality Jamie Dunn, Agro was hugely popular when he launched to fame in the 1990’s. His show, Agro’s Cartoon Connection, won seven consecutive Logies for most popular children’s program.

33

LIVE MUSICA TRIBUTE TO AUSSIE MUSIC WITH THE SONGS OF COLD CHISEL, KEITH URBAN AND KYLIE MINOGUEThis talented trio will rock the crowd when they take over the Main Arena, backed by a live band. Farren Jones from X-Factor is Keith Urban. With his striking resemblance and charismatic performance, he’ll rock out to all the hits like Days Go By. Carter Roser will entertain as he impersonates legend Jimmy Barnes. For over three decades, the songs of Jimmy Barnes have dominated the airways so the crowd will be well versed to sing along. Neridah Leishman is pop princess Kylie Minogue. The audience will instantly dance along to her well known hits including Spinning Around and Can't Get You Out Of My Head. The energetic artists will entertain the crowd with separate performances, before taking to the stage together to belt out their big finale.

NERIDAH LEISHMANA woman of many talents, this singer, songwriter, actress and professional horse rider is no stranger to the spotlight. Acting on well-known TV show ‘Neighbours’ at just 18 years of age, she has gone on to work with some of Australia’s iconic performers including John Farnham, John Foreman and original members of Little River Band Derek Pellici and Roger McLachlan.

MEET THE STARS OF EKKANITES Meet the very talented stars of the night show, as they walk around the outside of the Main Arena talking to fans, signing autographs and of course getting selfies taken.

EKKANITES FIREWORKS SPECTACULARThe breathtaking EkkaNITES fireworks finale will feature a Pyrotechnic Tower never before seen in Australia. Fireworks will be fired from 49 positions on the 25 metre high tower creating a Bellagio fountain effect – shooting sideways, inwards and skywards - engulfing the entire arena in explosive light and colour. Quad motorcycles will tow 20 kites with silver fountain fireworks, while six illuminated horses will gallop around the arena changing colours before the crowd’s eyes. The audience won’t miss a second of the action, with the 360 degree show design allowing them to have an equal experience from any spot. Topping off the spectacle will be the fireworks soundtrack – a custom made mash up of jukebox classic hits mixed in the Main Arena by hot Brisbane DJ Yakedo.

THE MEN BEHIND EKKANITESJACK ELLISON EkkaNITES will be produced for the fourth year by entertainment extraordinaire Jack Ellison. Jack is a professional athlete turned special events producer who has worked on blockbuster films including James Bond Quantum of Solace and Mission Impossible 2. Taking entertainment to the extreme has always been Jack’s philosophy in designing shows and EkkaNITES will be no exception, it’s all about more excitement, more extreme and more action.

MAX BRUNNER The Director of Skylighter FireworX is back with a brand new spectacular display, never before seen in Australia. Max, who has been involved with major events around Australia and internationally, travelled to China to source fireworks especially for EkkaNITES.

JEFFREY JOHN PAVEY This is Brisbane based international lighting designer Jeffrey John Pavey’s first year working on EkkaNITES. Jeffrey has toured the world with rock bands, including Prince, Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. His spectacular lighting is sure to take EkkaNITES to a whole new level.