Loogabarooga Festival line-up of events revealed
SOME of your little one’s favourite book characters will be appearing at this year’s Loogabarooga Festival in Loughborough as the full list of events was released on Monday, July 17.
Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child, - who is the creator of popular children’s characters Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean - will headline the festival and there will also be events and shows including: The Hairy Maclary and Friends show, Little Howard’s Big Show for Kids, the first-ever Loogabarooga Comic Fair and a new Loogabarooga Dog Show.
Lauren Child will be appearing in her own show at the festival to talk about the ‘stories behind the stories’ and there will also be a rare chance to see a selection of work picked by Lauren from her private collection in ‘The Art of Lauren Child – Adventures with Charlie and Lola and friends’ exhibition at Charnwood Museum.
Events and shows will take place at various venues in Loughborough from Wednesday, October 18 till Tuesday, October 24.
This year the festival will also include new book trails, free creative drop-in workshops, storytelling sessions, and advice on how to write and illustrate your own book.
There will also be appearances from some local authors and illustrators such as Dave Shelton, Andrew Everett- Stewart and Gemma Denham.
The unique, hand-painted book benches will also return in the town centre, featuring cover artwork from some of the nation’s favourite Ladybird children’s sto- ries, and this year there will also be a Lauren Child Clarice Bean book bench, on loan from the National Literacy Trust.
Loughborough has had a long association with children’s literature since the very first Ladybird book was produced by a jobbing printer called Wills & Hepworth in the town, and Ladybird books were also printed at Angel Yard in Loughborough from 1915- 1973.
Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan, speaking at the launch said: “I can’t believe its been three years since the first festival and it has got bigger and better each and every year and I am sure that this year it is going to be just as amazing.
“I personally love the festival, and we all remember the books that we love to read when we are younger, and this festival really celebrates those books and it is great to have it here in Loughborough and I can’t wait to take my little boy along to it again this year like we did last year.”
The Loogabarooga Festival is organised by Leicestershire Promotions and Charnwood Borough Council, in partnership with Leicestershire County Council and supported by Love Loughborough.
Tickets for all events can be booked online at www. loogabarooga.com