The iconic Camel Cup event is one that encapsulates the town of Alice Springs on an annual basis in the month of July. Considered to offer spectacular, family-friendly entertainment, the Camel Cup encompasses a range of sources of entertainment that provides for an all-rounder day.
Camels racing!
Every year in July, Alice Springs attracts over 5000 spectators who join in the festivities that the Camel Cup incorporates into a very packed day-long event.
The Camel Cup, unlike other races, provides its patrons with laughs by allowing the camels with complete freedom on and off the racecourse. While the idea behind the Cup is to have a race among the finest camels of the Territory, the camels often decide to run the race themselves, which includes starting off the race in the right direction, but heading in the wrong direction towards the end of the race.
The competitors awaiting the next race
Upon arriving at the event, we were fortunate enough to witness the infamous Rickshaw Races. This is an entertaining, mini-race event where two people sit on a tuk-tuk and two others act as the motor to pull them across the track. There was a certain Viking-themed group that provided the cheering crowd with hilarity and despite coming in last, encapsulated the spectators with their goofy performance of pulling the tuk-tuk in a unique manner.
Rickshaw Races at the Camel Cup
The Camel Cup may predominantly focus around the hilarity that ensues on the racecourse, but there are other fun activities that are set up to the spectators' delights, while the camels prep up for the next batch of races.
Riding a mechanical bull, because you can!
Presenting with a market-like atmosphere, there are a number of stalls that sell food, drink, and hand-made products at competitive prices. If you're not in Alice Springs for too long, you may want to take advantage of these bargains that you may otherwise find at the Todd Mall markets on Sunday, held on a fortnightly basis.
Beautiful, hand-made products such as these are sold at competitive prices at the Camel Cup
In addition to all the festivities that make up this glorious event, there are 3-minute and 6-minute helicopter rides that are available to the general public, for an additional $30 or $55 respectively. Having never been in a helicopter before, my partner and I opted for the 3-minute flight, which ended up being a fantastic experience!
Getting excited to be on that little chopper!
Seeing how this is an annual event, I'd highly recommend you to consider attending this spectacular event. With a range of attractions and activities available for enjoyment purposes, you really can't go wrong here!
Delicious sweet treats available for under $10 at the Camel Cup
The camels entertain with their unique personalities and excellent racing skills, the stalls deliver well with their range of assortments, and the weather overall often turns out to be a beautiful, sunny day for people of all ages to venture out for this well-established event!
The various Cups that are offered to the participants of the race
