Perth Royal Show 2025 Recap

Our Perth Royal Show 2025 Experience – The Highs, Lows, and Lessons from Our First Year

The Perth Royal Show has always been an iconic Western Australian event for nearly 200 years — a celebration of community, creativity, agriculture, and everything that makes our state so unique. For decades, it’s been the place where families spend days exploring rides, food, animals, agriculture, show bags, and local businesses.

This year was our very first time exhibiting at the Royal Show, and we were incredibly excited to bring U RESIN to such a large audience. We had spent months preparing — filling out countless applications, designing ‘show exclusive’ DIY kits, planning our display, creating signage, and making sure every detail represented who we are as a proudly WA-made, family-run resin manufacturer.

We thought, after participating in a number of other shows and exhibitions this one would be no different – just on a much larger scale. However, what we didn’t anticipate, was how different this year’s show would be — not only for us, but for hundreds of other small and Australian businesses who were there alongside us.

A Big Milestone for Our Small Business –

When we received confirmation in July that U RESIN had been accepted as an exhibitor for the 2025 Perth Royal Show, we were absolutely thrilled! We were told that competition was tough with over 700 applications submitted. It felt like a true milestone moment — a chance to showcase our products and connect face-to-face with families, artists, and makers who might not yet know us.

We set up our stall in the Shopping Pavilion that was renamed this year to “The Emporium”, with a compact 3x3m space that we transformed into a colourful mini version of our store. Our table was filled with resin kits, glitters, Jesmonite® pieces, and creative samples to inspire anyone curious about Resin Art or Jesmonite®.

To make it even more engaging, we had a TV playing video tutorials from our YouTube channel, showing how easy it is to make your own resin pieces at home. We also released a range of exclusive Royal Show DIY kits, such as our Jesmonite Starter Kit, UV Jewellery Kit, and Clamshell Kits — all designed specifically for beginners.

We wanted to give people something different — a hands-on, creative alternative to the usual commercial stalls — and to share the joy of resin art with a whole new audience.

The Reality Behind the Scenes –

To be completely honest, the show lacked organisation and communication. There were many details left until the very last minute or frequently changed which left advertising quite confusing. All that aside, we were ready to set up and on Thursday 25th September, we made our way to the Claremont Showgrounds to complete our set up and got a sneak peak into the show process, which was quite thrilling. Show day 1 was here and we were pumped and ready for a big turnout! But as the days went on, it became clear that this year’s Royal Show wasn’t quite like previous years.

Based on comments from frequent vendors, crowds were noticeably smaller, and we quickly learned that this was something many stallholders were also experiencing. We spoke with nearby vendors — from the emporium, to show bag stands, and food trucks — and everyone was feeling a similar pattern: fewer visitors, slower sales, and reduced spending.

Later, media outlets like The West Australian and ABC News confirmed what we were all seeing on the ground. Attendance numbers were significantly down, with some long-term exhibitors calling it “the worst turnout in over 15 years.” Many thought it was due to the removal of last year’s government ticket subsidy — where entry prices had been halved — making this year’s visit far more expensive for families.

For context, one vendor shared that a family ticket this year cost around $130, compared to $44 last year. With that kind of price difference, it’s easy to see how many families decided to give it a miss.

The Cost of Showing Up –

For small businesses like ours, exhibiting at an event like the Royal Show is a major investment. The cost of a stall space, fit-out, transport, flights, staff time (including 2 weekends and a Public Holiday), cost of stock and supplies, and display materials adds up quickly — and we take those commitments seriously.

We approached this opportunity with optimism, planning it as both a sales and brand awareness exercise. But as the week unfolded, it became clear that sales weren’t keeping up with costs. On Day 1, we didn’t make a single show sale! Something that we have truly never experienced in our 8 years of business and the countless other shows we have attended. It was truly disheartening for our whole team.

But as it turns out – we weren’t alone in that. Some exhibitors told us they were down 40–50% compared to last year. Others said they would be running end-of-show discounts just to move stock. Even food and show bag vendors, who usually thrive at busy events, mentioned that foot traffic and average spending were well below expectations.

Despite giving it everything — from friendly conversations to custom bundles, bright displays, and live product education — we, like many others, didn’t break even. It’s disappointing, but it’s also part of the reality of small business life. You take risks, you try new things, and sometimes the outcome isn’t what you hoped for.

Finding the Positives –

That said, it wasn’t all bad news.

Even though the crowds were smaller, we met so many wonderful people throughout the week — from returning customers who were excited to see us in person, to complete beginners who discovered resin art for the first time. Not to mention some of the fantastic business owners we were surrounded by – both new and old to the Royal Show.

We also had the privilege of showcasing the work of several talented local artists and ambassadors, whose Resin and Jesmonite® creations helped us show what’s possible with our products. The feedback from those who visited our stall was overwhelmingly positive — people loved the colours, the displays, and the creative ideas they could take home.

Moments like that make the effort worthwhile. They remind us that we’re part of a community of makers, and that creativity still has a place even when the circumstances are tough.

What We Learned – 

We learned a lot from this experience. We learned that large events come with big opportunities — but also big risks. We learned that while foot traffic is out of our control, our presentation, authenticity, and connection with people are always within our power.

We also learned that many people still prefer to shop online at their convenience, especially when they can browse the full range, watch tutorials, and have products delivered straight to their door. So while we may have walked away from the show with leftover stock, we also walked away with new ideas for how to bring the “U RESIN experience” to even more people in accessible, flexible ways.

A Sincere Thank You –

To everyone who visited us at the Perth Royal Show — thank you. Thank you for taking the time to stop by, chat with us, ask questions, and support our small WA business. Whether you made a purchase, took a flyer, or even just admired the displays — we truly appreciate it. Your encouragement keeps us going, and your feedback helps us improve for the next event.

To our neighbouring stalls – thank you for keeping our team entertained in the quiet moments and offering conversation! We couldn’t have asked or received more support from our neighbours and are extremely grateful for having met such lovely people to exhibit next to for 8 days straight.

To my team – thank you. From my Dad, Brother and Partner, doing all the heavy lifting during set up and pack up as well as the countless 40+ minute drives back and forth each day. To my mum (Shauna) who worked the stall every single day (even as I went back to the warehouse to work with the rest of our team). To Jo – whom many of you may remember worked with us – who flew back to Perth after moving over to Tasmania to help us exhibit every day of the show. And of course the many family members that also paid the entry fees just to be able to say hello and visit us.

Post-Show Thank You Sale –

To say thank you (and to help us clear the extra stock from the show), we’re running a Post-Show Sale across our website for a limited time.

🛍️ 10% OFF Resin Kits & Pigments
💻 Use code SHOW10 at checkout
📅 Valid until Monday 13th October 2025
🌐 Shop online at: www.uresin.com.au/shop

If you couldn’t make it to the show or missed grabbing something you loved, this is your chance to shop from home. Every order helps us recover from the event and reinvest in creating new, exciting products for our community.

Looking Ahead –

Will we do the Perth Royal Show again? Honestly speak, probably not! (But we’ll never say never!). We’ll take some time to review the numbers, listen to feedback, and consider whether the investment makes sense in the future. But one thing’s for sure — this experience, while challenging, has made us even more grateful for our loyal customers, stockists, ambassadors and supporters who continue to believe in what we do.

Running a small, locally owned business isn’t always easy – especially in the current climate – but it’s always rewarding. Every event (good or bad) teaches us something new. And with the lessons learned from this year’s Royal Show, we’ll bounce back stronger, smarter, and more creative than ever.

What you will see from us, is more events and exhibitions – one bad show, won’t stop us from helping you unleash the artist within!

Thank you for continuing to support local, handmade, and Australian-made products. 💛