The inaugural Dubray StoryFest family book festival will take place at Airfield Estate on Saturday 29th September: a unique, fun-filled, creative festival for children aged 0-12 and their families.
StoryFest, organised by independent Irish booksellers Dubray, will be a day of interactive author and illustrator events, storytelling, doodling, drawing, dancing, music, art and craft, book-inspired yoga, lullabies for babies, face-painting and dressing up, events as Gaeilge, and, for children with special needs, a relaxed zone. StoryFest will run 10am-5pm, with simultaneous events for different ages and interests taking place in sites across Airfield’s urban farm and gardens in Dundrum Dublin 14.
Authors and illustrators will include the legend that is Don Conroy, Chris Lonely Beast Judge, former Laureates na nÓg Niamh Hugglewug Sharkey and PJ Lynch, Julian Rabbit and Bear Gough, and Peter The President’s Cat Donnelly. Cathy Cassidy and Judi Curtinwill be making friendship jewellery, Máire Zepf and Tarsila Kruse will be leading Scéalta as Gaeilge for children 3+, illustrators Alan Nolan and Oisin McGann will be leading draw-along sessions and Paul Timoney will be exploring nature poems, while Kunak McGann, author of Red Rover Red Rover,will be hosting play sessions. Dubray booksellers will be running storytime and personal shopping sessions – AND attendees will be able to take a selfie with The Gruffalo and take part in a Where’s Wally? hunt.
The day will culminate in the StoryFest Extravaganza! at 3pm, featuring music from Inni-K and the Supertones Choir and contributions from many of the authors of the day, followed by a Giant Book Signing in the bookshop.
The StoryFest Parents’ Corner will be home to events for adults including an audience with Maia Dunphy, Paul Howard sharing some of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly’s parenting tips and tales, Dubray Children’s Bookseller Lorraine Levis on “Raising Readers”, child psychologist Joanne Fortune addressing “The Power of the Bedtime Story” and “Managing Screen Time”, and from Siobhan Berry from MummyCooks.com and Ciara Atwell from MyFussyEater.com, advice on great family food.
Dubray MD Maria Dickenson says, “We are very excited to present this brilliant line up of authors and illustrators for a fun-filled day of stories, drawing and song. With events for parents too, there will be something for all members of the family come rain or shine in the fantastic farm setting at Airfield Estate.”
Tickets are available online now from Dubray or Airfield Estate, and on the door on the day. Please note that the festival programme includes both drop-in events and individual events with limited capacity for which pre-booking is recommended.
All images courtesy Dubray StoryFest; photo of children reading by Mark Stedman
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