Festival Program
Illustration from Treeshape by Trace Balla published by Allen & Unwin
Festival Day 1 - Friday 2nd October 2026
10am - 10.30am Registration
10.30am Welcome - with Julianne Negri
11am to 3pm Workshop Program
Bookworms Workshops (Ages 5-8)
11am Hijacked! - Andrea Rowe, Emma Bowd and Daniel Barnett-Gray
12 pm Animal Antics - Caz Goodwin
12.30pm Musical Storytelling - Julianne Negri
12.45 Lunch Break (Aussie wildlife, author book signings, face-painting and more at the Festival Hub) Including: Aussie Wildlife Meet and Greet
1.45pm Australian Animal Rainbow - Sarah Jane Lightfoot and Annabelle Hale
Page-turners Workshops (Ages 8-13)
11am Make Your Own COO-mic Book - Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood
12pm Wordsmithery for Beginners - Melanie La’Brooy
12.45pm Lunch Break (Aussie wildlife author book signings, face-painting and more at the Festival Hub) Including: Aussie Wildlife Meet and Greet
1.45pm Storytree Cartoon Collage - Trace Balla
3.15pm Story Competition Showcase (All ages)
A Read-out-loud of all the shortlisted stories from the Kids Book Fest.
4pm Birrarung Wilam Walk with the Koorie Heritage Trust (optional)
(Separate ticket required for the walk)
Illustration by Trace Balla from her book Treescape, published by Allen & Unwin
Festival Day 2 - Saturday 3rd October 2026
10.30am Registration
11am to 3pm Workshop Program
11am Battle of the Illustrators! (All ages)
Watch some of Australia’s best illustrators battle it out live.
Featuring Adrian Beck (MC), Daniel Gray-Barnett, Sarah Jane Lightfoot, Jake A Minton, Jess Rackyleft, Matt Shanks, Ben Wood
Bookworms Workshops (Ages 5-8)
12pm Precious and Important - Davina Bell and Jess McGeachin
12.45pm Lunch Break Jafra Dabke dance performance, book signing, face-painting and more at the Festival Hub
1.45pm Emergency! Stories Required! - Matt Shanks
2.15 pm Songs and Storytelling - Julianne Negri
Page-Turners Workshops (Ages 8-13)
12pm Haiku Poem, Acrostic Poem, Rhyming Poem - Maxine Beneba Clarke
12.45pm Lunch Break - Jafra Dabke dance performance, book signing and more at the Festival Hub
1.45pm Zine Making 101 - Jaidyn Attard
2.15pm Illustration - Mitchell Toy
3pm Festival Grand Finale: Ask Andy Anything
(Included in Day 2 Ticket. A limited number of additional tickets this event only will be available in late August).
The Grand Finale of Book Fest with Andy Griffiths. Andy Griffiths will answer all your questions: even the ones he doesn’t know the answer to!
This session will conclude with Andy announcing the winners of the 2026 Storytelling Competition.
TICKET PRICES
Day 1 Ticket - $30
Includes access to all Day 1 workshops sessions except for Birrarung Wilam Walk (Ticketed separately)
Day 2 Ticket - $30
Includes access to all Day 2 workshops sessions including the Grand Finale with Andy Griffiths
Festival Pass - $50
Includes both days workshops and activities including the Grand Finale.
IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE: Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult (no ticket required). The adult must remain at the festival with the child at all times.