Aylesbury town centre is set to come to a standstill on Saturday 4 July when the town celebrates the work of legendary children’s author Roald Dahl.
This year’s Roald Dahl Festival is themed around Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and promises to be a spectacular event with a colourful parade of children in costume, and life-sized characters made by local schools with help from professional artists.
The annual event, organised by Aylesbury Vale District Council, starts with a colourful street parade – a culmination of weeks of work by local children who have created costumes and giant animated puppets based on characters and themes from the book.
The parade starts at 11am from the bottom of Market Square and snakes around the town centre accompanied by music and dancers, finishing at the Civic Centre.
Spectators can become even more involved in the parade with character hats and masks available in six designs for £4 from the Civic Centre and the County Museum.
After the parade, there are lots of other Roald Dahl-themed activities to take part in at Aylesbury Library, The King’s Head, Kingsbury, St Mary’s Church and Buckinghamshire County Museum.
The County Museum in Church Street will be hosting a family fun day from 11am to 4pm with free activities and reduced entry to the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery where visitors can explore the magical world of James’ Giant Peach or be whisked away in the Great Glass Elevator.
There will be a fun-filled day for all the family in Aylesbury Library, starting with a special Bounce and Rhyme session for younger children at 10am. The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden will have representatives in the library all day, telling stories and providing craft activities.
Kingsbury will be a thriving area of music, street theatre and children’s art and craft activities led by the council’s play services together with the Queens Park Arts Centre. An information stand will also be available to help you to make the most of your day.
The King’s Head will be running children’s story readings, activities and competitions throughout the day, along with a lucky dip, tombola and raffle. There will also be a free activity day at St Mary’s Church between 11am and 3pm.
Councillor David Thompson, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: “Roald Dahl’s books continue to delight and inspire people of all ages. It’s nice for Aylesbury Vale residents to be able to come together each year and remember Dahl and share the magic he created.”
Born in Wales in 1916, of Norwegian parents, Dahl was one of the great children’s authors. He wrote classic books including James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG.
Nineteen years after his death, aged 74 (his grave is in Great Missenden’s St Peter & St Paul’s parish churchyard), Dahl is more popular than ever. His books still sell around a million copies every year and there is even a day of celebration in his honour.
For more information about the festival, visit the council’s website at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/dahl or call 01296 585210 .
