Update From The Directors

With less than two weeks to go until the 2012 Manchester Children's Book Festival begins, there's still time to take part.  

See here for details of all events.  Check the website for returns, or call Quay Tickets on 0843 208 0500 if you were previously unable to book on for your favourite author event.  There have been some returned tickets, particularly for events running during the school day.  These were previously marked as SOLD OUT on the website but, try again, you might be lucky this time.  

After our two-day conference for teachers 'Survive and Subvert' on Thursday and Friday 29th June, and the official launch event, the programme of public events starts on Saturday 30th June with our free to enter Family Fun Day.  Places are still available for this.  See here for details and to download the full schedule.

For a Family Fun Day event flyer see here .  If you're based in a school please print these off and make sure your pupils have copies - it's free and open to everyone.  There are also some ticketed author events (see here for details).  Schools can make group bookings for this by emailing mcbfschools@mmu.ac.uk.  

If you want to mark the end of the school year with a bang, or a twirl round the dance floor - it's not too late to book your places at the Festival Gala Dinner. Join Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy and Coronation Street creator, Tony Warren at the luxury Midland Hotel for an evening of excellent food and dancing.  Proceeds from this event will be ringfenced for future book festival projects in local inner-city schools.  For details of this event see here

Even if you can't make any of our events this time, though, you don't need to wait until 2014 to be involved.  Our Reading and Writing Relay will run from Mon 2nd - Friday 6th July and, wherever you are, you can join in.  See here to find out just how easy it is to take part.

You can also read all about the Festival via our News and Events link to the Festival blog pages and get regular updates via Facebook and Twitter.  See www.mcbf.org.uk for links to all of these.    

We're looking forward to seeing many of you over the next few weeks, 

All best wishes

James Draper Director (Public Events)

Kaye Tew Director (Education)