September 10, 2016

Roald Dahl Day in Federation Square, Melbourne

Hello Everyone,

What a day this turned out to be. Brilliant sunshine, crowds of enthusiastic Dahl fans, fabulous fathers celebrating Father’s Day with their families – Roald Dahl Day had it all. If the great man was still with us (which sadly, he’s not), he would be turning 100 on the 13th of September. There are celebrations happening all over the world and here in Australia, I felt absolutely privileged to be part of the fun in Melbourne on the last day of the Melbourne Writers’ Festival.

Fellow authors, Felice Arena, Gus Gordon, Tristan Bancks and I put on a read along of Fantastic Mr Fox on the main stage, helped out by a brilliant dad (seriously, he was a natural on the stage) and four kids who played my little fox cubs. There were lots of laughs as the fantastic foxes outsmarted the truly revolting Boggis and Bunce and Bean.  This was followed by the documentary, Making of Matilda with the amazing Tim Minchin, a drawing workshop with Gus, a mega trivia competition with loads of chocolate as prizes, Gobblefunked Fun with Felice and a screening of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – as well as craft and story tents, a zillion cupcakes and thousands of sausages and some excellent daggy dad (and mum) dancing too. We were blessed with blue skies and a huge crowd and I have to say that the event is a huge highlight in what has been four years of incredible events. Congratulations to Dot Tonkin and her unstoppable team at Penguin Random House for pulling off, what I think will definitely be the event of the year.

Best wishes,

Jacqueline