The popular event, which aims to celebrate literacy and raise awareness of the vital importance of a language-rich environment from birth, will return to Parkes on Friday, September 14.

Paint Parkes REaD founder, Rhonda Brain OAM said, “studies show that more than 20 per cent of Australian children arrive at school without the skills necessary to make the most of their early education.”

“Whilst the event is plenty of fun, it also has a profound message for our future generations. A very simple message to talk, sing, read and rhyme right, particularly between the ages of zero to three, provides children with a significant head start to reading.”

This year’s theme is ‘Let’s get REaDiculous’, with well-known, local identities, dressed REaDiculously around town to read to the children.

Among them are Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith OAM, National Party candidate Yvette Quinn, retired editor of the Parkes Champion Post, Roel ten Cate OAM, Penrith Reading mascot ‘Rooby Roo’, and ‘Reading Bug’.

The event commences at 9.30am in Cooke Park and continues at various locations throughout the Parkes CBD from10am to 12.30pm.

Paint Parkes REaD is part of the Paint the Town REaD (PTTR) program, which has partnered with over 70 communities since its inception in 2013 to deliver improved literacy outcomes.

In 2018, Parkes will welcome the National Executive Director of Paint the Town REad Ltd, Barbie Bates to speak with educators about early language impact on brain development and the growth of PTTR communities right across Australia. For further details of Paint the Town REaD, visit to www.paintthetownread.info