Castlemaine Children's Literature Festival

Excitement is building for the second Castlemaine Children's Literature Festival, which runs from October 1-7.
The inaugural festival last year proved to be a huge hit with most of the events being sold out and looks like being a similar story this year.
Festival director Lisa D'Onofrio says the 2012 festival will embrace literature and literacy in their various forms and meanings.
"Whilst all practitioners involved in the festival are amazingly talented, innovative and skilled, the festival focus once again is on encouraging children and young people to become active participants and creative producers," Ms D'Onofrio said.
The festival will again be held at Buda, with Newstead Community Garden, Maldon Neighbourhood Centre and Winters Flat Primary School also hosting special activities.
The festival will include a smorgasbord of workshops and activities for young people up to the age of 16, as well as a few sessions for adults.
There will be also be a range of pre-festival events including talented Sudanese singer Ajak Kwai and musician Simon Lewis who will be visiting various local schools and children's groups this month. Their sessions will celebrate Sudanese culture through song and storytelling.
The winner of the junior section of the Mail's Castlemaine Poetry Prize will also be announced as part of pre-festival celebrations at the Castlemaine Library on Wednesday, September 26, at 1.30pm. The award is proudly sponsored by Mount Alexander Shire.
The festival kicks off on Monday, October 1 at 10.30am with `Bugs, Grubs and Garden Gremlins' at Newstead Community Garden and `If you go Down to the Woods Today' at Maldon Neighbourhood Centre at 1.30pm. For details of the full program visit: http://massculture.com.au/castlemaine-childrens-literature-festival/