EVENT: Franschhoek Literary Festival
The Franschhoek Literary Festival takes great pleasure in announcing that David Walliams, world-famous actor, comedian and children’s book author, will be in attendance in 2024, bringing his storytelling prowess to captivate audiences between 17 and 19 May.
The Festival, renowned in part for its celebration of words and stories, is thrilled to host Walliams as part of its extraordinary line-up this year.
“We are hugely honoured and excited to host David Walliams, who has brought a love of reading into the lives of millions of children the world over. His whimsical and hilarious stories will delight and enthral the whole family, and his events at the FLF are guaranteed to erupt into belly laughs,” says Jennifer Ball, the Festival’s programme director.
Since the release in 2008 of his debut novel, The Boy in the Dress, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Walliams has garnered unprecedented success:
- Global sales surpassing 56 million copies and translations into 55 languages spanning 40 titles.
- An astounding 79 weeks at the number one position in the overall book charts and an unparalleled 241 weeks leading the children’s charts.
Walliams has risen to the challenge of offering a varied and constant stream of titles to enchant his readers. More recently, Robodog, an action-packed comic caper released in 2023, claimed the children’s number one position for six (non-consecutive) weeks. This success followed on from the author’s chart-topping releases in 2022, among them Spaceboy and The World’s Worst Pets (part of his World’s Worst series).
To date this year, Walliams has already had three titles in the top 20 bestselling children’s books. These include The Blunders, his latest laugh-out-loud contribution and The World’s Worst Monsters, which dominated the charts for seven (non-consecutive) weeks.
Robodog book cover.
Walliams will be participating in both the main Festival and the Schools Festival in different schools in the Franschhoek Valley. His visit is bound to be eagerly awaited in both settings!
This will be one of the Festival’s hottest tickets, and it will be essential to keep an eye out for when tickets go on sale! See below for more information about purchasing tickets.
More about the Franschhoek Literary Festival
The Festival is an annual cultural highlight held on the third weekend in May, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday. It provides a platform for open and progressive discourse, with participation from renowned local and international authors and thought leaders. Spirited debate on various topical issues has long been the Festival’s hallmark.
A lighter side of the Festival expresses itself in inspirational sessions and fun activities guaranteed to stimulate the senses. Breakfasts, live poetry and music performances, film screenings and writing workshops complete the Festival’s excellent offerings.
The 2024 Festival promises to be a literary event of international and pan-African significance, attracting writers, thinkers and book lovers from around the world. Set against the backdrop of the picturesque Franschhoek Valley, it will feature thought-provoking panel discussions, entertaining one-on-ones and interactive workshops. Together, these will offer a platform from which to explore the rich literary landscape within and beyond South Africa’s borders.
Ticket sales for the 2024 festival go live on 15 March 2024.
Sign up for an FLF 2024 membership to get early access to the programme on 8 March, or become a patron to get even earlier access – on 5 March – and a concierge booking service.
For more, go to the official website HERE.
