Bookworms come out at annual fest
FOR Tia and David Bennett, The Chronicle Lifeline Bookfest is something of a Mecca.
“We’re from Maryborough and we come down for this every year,” Mrs Bennett explained.
“My husband calls it a ‘pilgrimage’.
“We have grandchildren here too but we’ve been coming to Toowoomba for the bookfest for years, we only missed one year in the last 21 years because that year it was flooded.”
Mr Bennett not only collects books, but dolls as well and he’d already filled up his box on wheels twice before lunch Saturday.
The 39th annual bookfest proved very popular with the carpark full by the time the doors of the Founder’s Pavilion at Toowoomba Showgrounds opened at 8am Saturday.
Of course, the Bennetts weren’t the only ones travelling to Toowoomba to secure a book bargain.
Kylie Berlin and daughter Mia, 5, made the drive in from Dalby to load up with a shopping trolley of books.
“We come every year and get a trolley load which will last us about a year,” Mrs Berlin said.
“Then we’ll clear them out of the room and come back for another load.”
Lifeline Darling Downs CEO Derek Tuffield said he couldn’t believe the crowd waiting for the doors to open.
“We took over $40,000 in the first three hours,” he said.
“We’ve had so many DVDs donated too and they are selling hand over fist.”
Funds raised from the bookfest goes to supporting Lifeline’s face-to-face counselling services.