the Birthday Boy

Appears in 16 episodes, first in episode 320.

Every appearance

• Episode 402 - With Mispronunciations Now

  November 2024 anniversary rundown: 44 events across five weeks, week one and two events listed retrospectively, no junior events celebrating, three events turning 10 (Geographe Bay, Calamvale, The Beaches, the last celebrating in week four because of tides), week five's Minnippi, first anniversaries for Dhunggaarr Reserve (NSW) and Katherine Hot Springs (NT), an unnamed 13th anniversary for the third event to open in Australia, and six events turning seven. Reminds listeners to check event pages and the parkrun cancellations page.

• Episode 397 - The Grate Return

  October 2024 rundown: German Unity Day on Thursday 3 October with most German events hosting a bonus day; Bushy parkrun's 20th anniversary on the first parkrun day of October, with the event team and parkrun HQ both asking people to stay local rather than travel to Bushy; Australian events sharing that anniversary (Champion Lakes, Charleston, Coober Pedy Oval, Hamilton Island, Horseshoe Bay Reserve, Nathan Road Sports Ground, Nolen's Park, Petrie, Portarlington, Railway Park, Werrington Lakes Reserve); around 40 further events celebrating later in the month; first birthdays for Two Rivers Wines and Goulburn River Trail, Seymour; 12th birthdays for Kingscliff, North Lakes and Kawana; Orange turning eight for anyone chasing the letter O; and the usual reminder to check the cancellations page.

• Episode 394 - Dangling the carrot

  Mel throws to the segment. The Birthday Boy runs through September 2024 anniversaries, 36 events in all, one more than August, picking out Wilson Inlet Heritage Trail (1), Robelle Domain (paused), Jerrabomberra Mountain Reserve (2), Marina (5), Broadbeach Waters (10) and Warwick (11) in week one; Tynwald Park (2), Bega (9) and Wynnum (12) in week two; Kingston Park (5), Palmerston NT (8) and New Farm (13) in week three; and Memorial Park SA (2), Braidwood Showground, Cowpasture Reserve Camden, Montrose Foreshore, Perry Lakes and Stebonheath (all 6) plus Toowoomba (11) in week four. Closes with a reminder about the parkrun cancellations page, a nudge to watch for a Malaysia Day event, and a response to Rachel's call for topics with a request for volunteer club information. TOC notes an omission: Inverloch turns 10 in week two.

• Episode 389 - What's a Melidex?

  The Birthday Boy's August 2024 anniversary rundown: 40 events on the books over five weeks. Eight People Club events celebrating, Bill Rose Sports Complex (NSW) 5, Chelsea Bicentennial and Wilson Botanic (Vic) 8, Harris Avenue (Qld) 5, Hervey Bay (Qld) 10, Jakes Point (WA) 1, Port Lincoln (SA) 7, Victor Harbor (SA) 10. Also Eastern Gardens 6 (Explorer Club), Greenbank 7 (Rainbow Club), Cairns 11 (Miner Club), Balyang Sanctuary 12 (a Successor event and the 10th to launch in Australia), Claisebrook Cove 12 (a WA pioneer event) and Harmony Boulevard (Qld) 1. Closes with the reminder to check each event's own page for anniversary plans.

• Episode 385 - Ice Ice Baby

  July 2024 anniversaries rundown: 37 events to choose from; Canada Day on 1 July as a Canadian parkrun special day; Coomera (QLD) turning 12 on the 27th; Aveley (WA) and Gatton (QLD) turning 11 on the 6th and 13th; Town Beach (WA) and Wes Mitchell Park (QLD) turning 1. Plus the usual reminders to check the local event pages and the cancellations page.

• Episode 381 - Ah-sigh-ee

  The June 2024 anniversary rundown: 35 Australian events with anniversaries, one of them the Thorndon junior parkrun in South Australia turning four; five parkrun days in June; Newy in Newcastle turning 12; no first birthdays and a single second, Kirkdale Reserve; "the so-known prettiest parkrun in Australia" turning seven mid-month; and in the rare fifth week, Charleys Creek turning five and Logan River turning 11, with the usual plug for the event map and the cancellations page.

• Episode 377 - Purple Patches

  The May 2024 anniversaries rundown, delivered in character: 46 events with anniversaries including seven first anniversaries - Parkindula Reserve and O'Connors Beach on May 4th, Narooma Wetlands and Dixon Field on the 11th, nothing on the 18th, and Woodlands Historic Park, Maroondah Dam and Kilmore Racecourse Walking Track on the 25th; plus Japan's Greenery Day and Golden Week, Westerfolds Junior turning six on Sunday the 26th, and the usual reminder to check the cancellations page. Heavy on Star Wars puns, which Mel praises afterwards.

• Episode 375 - Outback parkruns

  April 2024 rundown: four parkrun days (6th, 13th, 20th, 27th), South Africa's Freedom Day falling on the 27th, Main Beach turning 13 and Ginninderra 12, first anniversaries at Tallangatta Station and Yackandandah Rail Trail, and Palm-week options at Birdsland Reserve (5), Chaffey Park (2), Fingal Bay (11), George Town (7), Myponga Reservoir (2) and Warragul (9), with eleven events turning six including South Toowoomba.

• Episode 371 - Out & Moving

  March 2024 preview: five parkrun days (2, 9, 16, 23, 30) with Easter on the final Saturday and no special days; no events joining Main Beach, New Farm, Albert Melbourne or Kirra on 12 years, but Riverway (QLD) and a New South Wales event turning 11; first anniversaries for Picnic Point Parklands (Toowoomba) and the custodial event Spring Creek; 30 anniversaries in all, with Cascades on Clyde Wetlands (3), Albury Wodonga (10), Avondale University College (3) and Mount Isa (6) picked out; no junior parkrun anniversaries; and a reminder to check the cancellations page.

• Episode 367 - YMMV

  The Birthday Boy's monthly rundown for February 2024: four parkrun days; Kirra turning 12 alongside Main Beach, New Farm and Albert Melbourne; Lake Mac turning 11 and Tuggeranong closed for foreshore path works; four first anniversaries (Australian Standing Stones, Maria Creek Reserve, Point Hut Pond, and Newcastle Park in WA); 35 further anniversaries by week, from Cyril Curtain Reserve to Toolern Creek; and Bellevue Park junior parkrun at Ashmore turning three on 25 February.

• Episode 365 - Tick Tocky

  The Birthday Boy's monthly anniversary rundown for January 2024: five parkrun days including the worldwide special day on 1 January; a junior anniversary for the Heritage Trail junior parkrun in Victoria turning three on Sunday 21 January; two events turning one, Calembeen (Victoria) and Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Blackbutt (Queensland); and nine events turning six, San Remo, Brighton, Bargara, Zillmere, Queens Domain, Gardiners Creek, Edithburgh, Huskisson and Margaret River. He plugs the special event compendium and the parkrun cancellations page.

• Episode 361 - TOC’s budgies

  TOC throws across ("I reckon we should throw across to the birthday boy and hear who else is having a birthday") to a self-contained pre-recorded monthly rundown for December 2023: seven parkrun days in the month; the 25th is Australia's special date (also Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and the UK), with Poland on the 26th; how to read the ticks and crosses on parkrun.com.au/special-events, and the reminder that special days are optional for event teams. Anniversaries: five events turn one but only two are open to the public (Baxter in WA and Lake Wallace in Victoria, the other three on custodial estates); no junior anniversaries; Torrens in South Australia turns 11; 30 further events celebrating; random shout-out to Nathalia Showgrounds in Victoria. Signs off pointing listeners to "Mel and the rotation of co-hosts" for requests. TOC follows up with the Christmas compendium numbers: 184 Australian events confirmed for Christmas Day, 189 for New Year's Day, with an 11 December confirmation deadline.

• Episode 355 - Mimosas and Jell shots

  Pre-recorded monthly rundown for November 2023, delivered in character by the Birthday Boy. Four parkrun days (4th, 11th, 18th, 25th); around 40 events celebrating something, with the standard caveat to check the local event page. Albert parkrun Melbourne joins the 12 Club as the nation's third event and the first in a second Australian state. First anniversaries: Jurien Bay Foreshore (WA, 11th) and Prince of Wales (Victoria, 18th). Three events reaching parkrun independence: South Bank and Sandgate (Queensland) and Launceston (Tasmania). Three tenth anniversaries: Maitland (NSW), Diamond Creek (Victoria) and Minnippi (Queensland). Also flags events delayed from 2020 finally starting: Our Park (Tasmania), Garvey Park (WA) and Centenary (Queensland). Signs off pointing listeners to Mel and "hopefully, Ollie" with requests.

• Episode 328 - Sterkte

  Monthly look ahead to April 2023: five parkrun days (1, 8 Easter, 15, 22 pre-Anzac Day, 29); Main Beach Queensland, Australia's pioneer parkrun, turning 12; seven official first anniversaries, Charters Towers Airport, Karoola Park and Werribee Park Mansion in week one, Chaffey Park and Myponga Reservoir in week two, Lake Claremont in week four, Jindabyne Sport and Recreation in week five; Ginninderra's 11th parkrun-independence anniversary in the ACT; South Africa's Freedom Day extra parkrun on 27 April; a live recording of the podcast at UWA parkrun on 15 April; and a JOMO Frond at Varsity Lakes parkrun the same day as Palm.

• Episode 325 - Wake up, Jodi!

  A pre-recorded monthly look-ahead at parkrun anniversaries. March 2023: no first anniversaries until Pambula Wetlands (NSW) in week three, then Warrandyte River Reserve (Vic) and Jarrahdale Heritage (WA) in week four; fifth birthdays for Chipping Norton (NSW), Kelvin Grove, Mount Isa and St Lucia (Qld); no 11ths or 12ths, but 10ths for Parramatta (NSW) and Riverway (Qld). Includes a digression on St Lucia's infamous 800-finisher launch being "the nail in the coffin for large, aka publicised, launches".

• Episode 320 - Summer Holidays

  Brand-new monthly look-ahead segment, introduced by Melissa Ellis as "another new segment" and presented in character by "the Birthday Boy". February 2023 has four parkrun days; first anniversaries at Cyril Curtin Reserve (Vic), Henry Kendall Reserve (NSW) and Jamestown Golf Course (SA), all launched together but now on event numbers 50-53; Kirra (Qld) turns 11; and Fibonacci event numbers 233 and 337 are coming up at Dawesville, Risdon Brook, Maitland, Maribyrnong, Oakey, Echuca-Moama and Margaret River, with Australia still waiting on a 610. Closes by pointing listeners at the parkrun cancellations page.