Riverina Royal Visit Souvenir Booklet, 1954
Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Wagga was just a small portion of events that were organised for the crowds on 13 February 1954, as this page from the Riverina Royal Visit Souvenir Booklet demonstrates. A carnival was held at the Murrumbidgee Pastoral and Agricultural Association Showground, with polocrosse matches, boomerang throwing demonstrations, equestrian events and marching girls. There was also a race meeting at the the Murrumbidgee Turf Club, a meeting of the Wagga Wagga Motor Cycle Club at the North Wagga Speedway, a display of diving and swimming at the Baths, night bowls and night tennis, continuous films showing at the Capitol and Plaza theatres, a ceremonial Beating of the Retreat by the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, a night trotting exhibition, a band concert and finally, a fireworks display.