Core to the show are the competitive entries, such as livestock, pets, arts, food, beverages, and displays of skill.

[4] On 8 December 1840, the first Show was held in the yards of Fordham's Hotel, Grenfell Street, and was an exhibition of produce which included vegetables, cereals, cheese, wool, and leather.

[5] The first show of livestock, the Agricultural Exhibition, was held on 20 October 1843 at Auction Mart Tavern, Hindley Street.

The show had been extended from two to four days on account of the great interest shown, particularly in the display of sheep, which was of a very high standard.

The Building Committee, consisting of the President and Vice-Presidents and the Secretary, was appointed to supervise the work and confer with the architects and to report to the Executive.

In February 1966, a soccer match between traditional rivals Hellas and Juventus on the opening night of the show created much interest.

Another area of interest was the Decimal Currency Board's display, with the 'Dollar Girls' on hand to explain the new monetary system to be introduced.

Main Arena attractions included the Pacific Islands Regiment Band, which consisted of 75 Papuans and New Guineans from all parts of the territory.

On 14 April 2020, the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia announced the show would be cancelled due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

The society runs a number of competitive sections at the show in six categories:[20] In 2014, 16,993 ribbons were awarded to individual prize winners.

[2] The Main Arena is the largest area of Adelaide Showground, and is the primary location for the 'Horses in Action' program (including the World Cup Qualifiers).

Another major attraction to the Royal Adelaide Show is the array of free entertainment included upon entry.

On 12 September 2014, an eight-year-old girl visiting Australia from Malaysia died after slipping from her seat on the Airmaxx 360.

[25] In 2019, The Beast, XXXL, Speed 2 and Extreme were banned from the Royal Adelaide Show for having a faulty backup restraint mechanism.