Melbourne Kids Book Fest 2026
Description
Join us at Melbourne Kids Book Fest for two days of storytelling, illustration, books and fun.
Meet your favourite authors and illustrators, join some fantastic workshops, go on a scavenger hunt and let your imagination run wild at this book festival for children aged 5 to 13.
Featured authors include Children's Laureate Andy Griffiths, the Real Pigeons team Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood and poet Maxine Beneba Clarke among a stellar line up of children's storytellers.
Each day will have an exciting line up of workshops split into two age groups where children can get involved in all kinds of storytelling including writing, drawing, poetry, collage, comic and zine-making song and dance.
During breaks families can also explore the Festival Hub where kids can meet the authors and explore free activities including Aussie animals, a Jafra Dabke dance performance, a scavenger hunt, face-painting and craft.
Ticket Info:
Tickets are for a full day of activities. Purchase a Day 1 or Day 2 ticket or save money with the two day Festival Pass. Separate tickets are required for Friday's Birrarung Wilam Walk with the Koorie Heritage Trust.
Workshops have been designed for two age groups: Bookworms Ages 5-8 and Page-turners Ages 8-13.
There will be some flexibility on the day if a favourite author is in another stream or for siblings who wish to stay together, but when purchasing tickets please select the ticket based on the child's actual age. Page-turner sessions have been designed for children who are reasonably confident reading and writing independently.
IMPORTANT: Please note children must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult (no ticket required). Children may not be left at the festival unattended.
Banner illustration by Trace Balla from the graphic novel Treeshape published by Allen & Unwin
Melbourne Kids Book Fest 2026 illustration by Mitchell Toy.
Lineup
Andy Griffiths
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Trace Balla
Adrian Beck
Davina Bell
Emma Bowd
Caz Goodwin
Annabelle Hale
Melanie La'Brooy
Jaidyn L Attard
Sarah Jane Lightfoot
Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood
Jake A Minton
Julianne Negri
Andrea Rowe
Matt Shanks
Mitchell Toy
Agenda
- All day
FESTIVAL DAY 1: Friday 2nd October
10am - 10.30am REGISTRATION 10.30am WELCOME 11am - 3pm WORKSHOP PROGRAM BOOKWORM WORKSHOPS (Ages 5- 8) Hijack! - Andrea Rowe, Emma Bowd and Daniel Barnett-Gray Animal Antics - Caz Goodwin Musical Storytelling - Julianne Negri Lunch: Aussie animals, meet the author, face-painting and more at the Festival Hub Australian Animal Rainbow - Sarah Jane Lightfoot and Annabelle Hale PAGE-TURNERS WORKSHOPS (Ages 9-13) Comical Comics - Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood Gameshow Storytelling: Adults vs Kids - Melanie La’Brooy Lunch: Aussie animals, meet the author, face-painting and more at the Festival Hub Storytree Collage - Trace Balla 3.15pm STORY COMPETITION SHOWCASE (All Ages) A read-out-loud performance of all the shortlisted stories from the Kids Book Fest Story Competition.
- All day
FESTIVAL DAY 2: Saturday 3rd October
10am - 10.30am REGISTRATION 11am - 3pm WORKSHOP PROGRAM 11am BATTLE OF THE ILLUSTRATORS! (All ages) BOOKWORMS WORKSHOPS (Ages 5- 8) Precious and Important - Davina Bell and Jess McGeachin Lunch Break - Jafra Dabke dance performance, face-painting and more at the Festival Hub Emergency! Stories Required! - Matt Shanks Songs and Storytelling - Julianne Negri PAGE-TURNERS WORKSHOPS (Ages 9-13) Haiku Poem, Acrostic Poem, Rhyming Poem - Maxine Beneba Clarke Lunch Break - Jafra Dabke dance performance, book signing and more at the Festival Hub Zine Workshop - Jaidyn Attard Illustration Workshop - Mitchell Toy 3pm GRAND FINALE: ASK ANDY ANYTHING (All Ages) (Included in Day 2 Ticket, tickets also available for this event only).
- 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
GRAND FINALE: Ask Andy Anything
3pm Saturday 3rd October (Included in Day 2 and Festival Pass Tickets, a limited number of separate tickets will be available for purchase closer to the date.) The Grand Finale of Book Fest with Andy Griffiths. Andy 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.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
