Editor’s Note: Rabbit Room founder Andrew Peterson is a man of many talents—and many projects. Among them is his beloved fantasy series for young readers, The Wingfeather Saga, which has been adapted into an animated television series and is now preparing to launch its fourth season. Each year, FeatherFest gathers fans of The Wingfeather Saga for a day of immersive activities, shared celebration, and a special look at the animated series. This year’s festival will culminate in the premiere of Season Four. The following interview has been excerpted from a conversation with Andrew about the upcoming season, the significance of FeatherFest, and the experience of seeing the world of the Green Hollows come to life.
INTERVIEWER
Season Four of the Wingfeather animated series marks another major milestone in bringing the story to life, and in so many ways, FeatherFest and the premiere are the celebration to mark this achievement. What emotions are you feeling now that we are about a month away from FeatherFest and the Season 4 Premiere?
ANDREW PETERSON
It’s not an emotion, but I’m still in a bit of disbelief. When we pulled up to the premiere last year, I was utterly unprepared for what it was that we saw, which was hundreds and hundreds of kids and families and all of the excitement about the story. And I just feel like I’m walking around in a dream. So it’s not until after it’s over that I kind of process it and go, “I cannot believe this is actually happening.” So yeah, a little bit of disbelief and awe.
I’m also feeling a whole bunch of gratitude. It is so gratifying, to dip into the studio and see the countless hours that the team spends huddled over the computers at their drawing desks, working and working and working. It’s kind of like a silent machine and most people don’t really realize all that’s going into it. And then to get the joy of seeing all of these real human beings who love the show interacting with these real human beings who are spending such a big chunk of their lives and making them feel like they’re in a dream.
I’ve been telling people every season, “I think it can’t get any better.” And then we watch the next season, and I think, “Oh my goodness, somehow the team made it twice as good as the last one.” I’m really excited for people to see how much the storytelling and animation have advanced.
INTERVIEWER
This year’s event is at Castle Park in Franklin, TN. What excites you about that location?
AP:
I have memories of going to the castle 20 years ago. I took my kids to one of the Ren Fairs that was happening there. The castle wasn’t as complete as it is now, but even then it was really impressive. So I think that the fans are going to love being in this environment.
INTERVIEWER
Is there an activity that you’re looking forward to either participating in or seeing people participate in?
AP:
Well, I just heard about the dog show and I’m geeking out! I love dogs. That was part of what was behind when I was writing Monster in the Hollows. Jamie, my wife, has a dream to have big dogs that roam around on a farm, and the hard reality is that’s a lot more complicated than you think it is. And so in the books, I thought, I’m going to let my character Leeli live Jamie’s dream. So Leeli goes from just having lost her dog, Nugget, to suddenly being in charge of a barn full of puppies in the Green Hollows.
I love the dog culture of the Green Hollows. Whenever we’re in the UK, it’s always kind of funny because people bring dogs in restaurants there. Folks seem to be very proud of their dog culture there. And that was part of the inspiration for the Green Hollows, too. I just thought, wouldn’t it be cool if there were an entire culture that was hardcore about dogs? So we are going to have dogs at FeatherFest, too.
My hope is that the dogs will be wearing armor. That’s not true. But my hope is genuinely that it will make it feel even more like the Green Hollows.
INTERVIEWER
Why is Castle Park the perfect environment for this season’s FeatherFest and premiere?
AP:
It feels appropriate to me that it already has the infrastructure for the Renaissance Festival that happens every year. And part of the reason it’s so popular is because the grounds are awesome.
INTERVIEWER
What about the experience of FeatherFest and the Season Premiere stands out to you?
AP:
I remember sitting on the front row during the premiere last year, and the feeling of anticipation when the lights went down and the things started rolling was just like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
I’m a big fan of movie theaters. Movies are best experienced with other people in a darkened room where we’re all here for the same reason. You’re not pushing pause to go microwave or popcorn halfway through the movie. So I kind of love the fact that we’re all there for the same reason and we all get to enjoy it together.
INTERVIEWER
FeatherFest is all about the fans. Can you speak to the faithfulness of the fans and why an event like this is so special?
AP:
I think it’s a chance for our team to say thank you to the people who have made this show possible. I mean, we wouldn’t be here without these amazing readers, fans of the TV show, and investors. The team all works so hard to make a really beautiful experience for these people. It’s just the best way I know that we can thank the fans for getting us to where we are.
INTERVIEWER
How do you think fans should be coming to this event? Is there anything you would want them to keep in mind?
AP:
My hope is that they are ready to experience a very unique, very fun day. I can’t think of another book series that has a festival that goes with it. It’s like a mini version of Disney World. It’s like You get to walk into this immersive experience and pretend that it’s all real for several hours. And then that’s capped off by getting to watch this visual expression of the story.
There’s nothing quite like it. In some ways, The Monster In the Hollows is my favorite of the four books in the series. The story arc has so much gravity to it, and every part of the narrative is setting up for the final climax.
So many events from the second book come at you hard and fast throughout seasons two and three and then things slow down in season four. The characters find a home for a while, and it gives you a chance to get to know them at a deeper level. But it also prepares you for some of the story’s most emotionally significant moments.
INTERVIEWER
FeatherFest is so tied to Middle Tennessee. Tell us about why this area is the perfect fit for something like Feather Fest.
AP:
I had a friend from Ireland come to Nashville several years ago, and he’d only ever been to Nashville—to the city. We were talking about what he thought of the area, and he said, “It’s a lot hotter than I thought it would be. It’s a lot greener than I thought it would be, but yeah, it’s fine.”
I told him I needed to go get chicken feed from Bonnie’s Barnyard. Did he wanna come with me? So we drove 30 minutes south of where we live into the hills of Middle Tennessee. And the landscape along that route quickly becomes very beautiful. We don’t have mountains in Nashville, but we have these really beautiful hills that remind me of parts of Ireland and England.
There’s something really cool to me about the fact that the people who are coming to Feather Fest are going to get to see a little glimpse of my neighborhood, you know, my little secret part of Nashville that I really love.
It means the world to me that we get to do this from home, from Nashville. We’re not out in LA somewhere, whatever, we’re actually making this show here. And as a result, the show looks and feels in some ways like parts of Tennessee that I love.
It is a very local story, even though it is set in a fantasy world. You know, when I was writing the books, I was lifting character names from street signs in my neighborhood. So it feels meaningful to me that we get to celebrate in the midst of this landscape that I love.
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