The 2014 Royal Queensland Show was officially launched on Thursday with a mini-festival inside the revamped Convention Centre featuring gourmet food and wine, live performances, a fashion parade, baby animals, wrestling and freestyle motorbike stunts.

Sesame Street and Friends and the Extreme High Dive Show will be the big ticket items for kids at this year's event, with illusionist and fire eater Brendan Mon Tanner and mind reader Anthony Laye providing further spectacle.

The million-dollar EkkaNITES show returns with more lasers, water fountains, fireworks, FMX riders and monster trucks than ever before.

A self-confessed Ekka tragic, Cassar-Daly was blown away by last year's show and jumped at the chance to bring the country element into this year's program.

"I'm going to be riding the rides, doing everything with my kids, and then getting to perform," he said.

"That to me is going to be a real thrill."

Sydney-based Prinnie Stevens was keeping mum about what songs she would sing, but said it would be full of energy.

"I'm basically just revving up the crowd and getting them into party mode because literally when I walk off, the fireworks will go, the light show will go," she said.

"I'm looking forward to walking offstage and just looking up and getting to enjoy it myself."

For the first time the Ekka will run Friday August 8 to Sunday August 17, allowing two full weekends and an extra night time show.

Stevens said she planned to bring her eight-year-old daughter with her to enjoy the extended run,

"I grew up in musical theatre where I got to do shows over and over, but now I don't get that luxury anymore," she said.

"I'm really excited about spending 10 days up in Brissie."

RNA chief executive Brendon Christou said the pair's inclusion highlighted the Ekka's ability to cater for a broad audience while keeping a single adult ticket below $30.

"Prinnie's a different market to Troy, so having them both here every night is going to be great, something for everyone," he said.

"For your gate entry, you can bring your own food, you get all this entertainment, and the value of that is far more than the entry price."

Special guests at the launch event included Year 4 students from Bulimba State School, who run a kitchen garden as part of their studies.

They took selfies with Prinnie Stevens, enjoyed cuddles with baby animals and sampled the famous Ekka Strawberry Sundaes.

"Creamy," was nine-year-old Amelia Beveridge's verdict when asked how they tasted.

"I just really want to get another ice-cream," said Lachlan Philip, 9.

"But I don't think I'm allowed."

The children listed stunt motorcycles, horses, chickens, baby animals, and fashion as their favourite things about the Ekka.