Dylan did not show up in person, but wrote a letter for his gratitude to the famous writers.

In lieu of attending the ceremony, Dylan wrote a speech, which was read by the American ambassador to Sweden. In it, he expressed his gratitude to the committee, and his admiration for writers who have won the award in the past, including Rudyard Kipling, Albert Camus and Ernest Hemingway.

Following behind, at six miles per hour, was a white pickup truck carrying men in protective clothing and equipped with a machine intended to cast off a cloud of poison targeting the prey: mosquitoes. The droplets would awaken any insects in the area, cause them to take flight and then kill them.