How Splendiferous and Scrumdidilyuptious!

The UK celebrates the 50th birthday of Roald Dahl’s beloved classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

It’s February 1, 2014, and it has been half a century since the incredible Roald Dahl first penned arguably the most famous children’s book ever — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Since 1964, generation after generation have delighted in the tale of little Charlie Bucket and his Grandpa Joe, the cheeky Oompa Loompas and the delicious escapades of the enigmatic Willy Wonka and his mind-boggling candy confections.  Charlie and his fantastic chocolate-coated journey have captivated the imagination of children and adults alike, whether they read the book, or saw the film or the musical.

2014 will see a stupendous party as fans everywhere celebrate the 50th anniversary of this timeless book. According to the official Facebook page of the author, the celebrations will start at The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, which will be honoring Charlie as the star of the museum all year. Following Willy Wonka’s example, who in the book opens the chocolate factory gates for his visitors on 1 February, the Museum will be opening their very own Wonka factory gates, featured in the 2005 film version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for a day of chocolate-filled fun.  Fan will be treated to chocolate decorating, Charlie-themed archive tours, Writing Hut talks and a Chocolate Factory trail around the Museum with prizes to be won for 5 lucky children, according to thepositive.com.



The characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will also feature in festivals and other special events throughout 2014, the first of the which will be the Imagine Children’s Festival at London’s Southbank Centre (10 — 23 February) where fans can bounce around in Grandpa Joe’s Giant Storytelling Bed and hear Sir Quentin Blake reminiscing firsthand about his collaborations with Roald Dahl. Blake is the artist who contributed his unforgettable and instantly recognizable illustrations to many of Dahl’s classic children’s books.

Kew Gardens will be offering a Chocolate Factory tour experience over the Easter holiday, featuring members of the Museum team providing multiple chocolate related activities in the Chocolate Room, the Inventing Room, the Nut Room and the Television Room. During the summer, the Roald Dahl Museum will become a hub of tasty treats including giant sweet-making sessions and an August Gloop doughnut race!

It may have been 50 years since readers the world over were introduced to the magical world of Willy Wonka and the unforgettable characters and candy in the novel, but Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is still as captivating and miraculous as it was when we first read it. We don’t know about you, but we’re breaking out our copies of the book for a nostalgic trip down to the Chocolate Factory, one more time. Everlasting gobstoppers anyone?

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2014.

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