‘Busking’ poets will write on demand at Kirkby Lonsdale Poetry Festival

The line-up is dominated by homegrown Northern talent in a vibrant programme of poetry performances, workshops, children’s verse, comedy, and so much more.

Headliners include (clockwise) Cumbria’s own Northern Writers’ Award winning Amelia Loulli; Hartlepool’s multi-award winning comedy writer Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin; Bolton and Salford Archdeacon Rachel Mann; the fire-breathing Elizabeth Train-Brown who was recently listed as one of Lincolnshire’s 30 Under 30; Birmingham’s form-dismantling, grammar-trashing

Ray, Bradford’s foremost poetry campaigner, the multi-award nominated Sharena Lee Satti; viral activist and Queer parent fresh off headline sets at Out & Wild Festival and Pride in London, Hazel Mehmet; and multi-slam winning and previous Stanza Poetry Festival poet-in-residence Caz Teague.

A ‘relay’ of readings by local poets will take place on Saturday, and volunteers will perform for the elderly at The Fairbank Society.

All around town, ‘busking’ poets with typewriters will write on demand for passersby.

Writing workshops will take place throughout the weekend in the Methodist Church, St. Mary’s, and in an outdoor yurt, with facilitators taking advantage of Kirkby’s natural beauty for inspiration.

For children, a poetic ‘storytime’ will take place on the Saturday, with Messy Church crafts and workshops in the Methodist on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday will see a panel discussion on Safe Spaces in Poetry.

By popular demand, the festival will also see the return of Ginnelverse, with festival-goers invited to take part in poetry performance workshops with local director Jayne Davies,

culminating in a public performance on Saturday.

Most events are free, and ticketed events can be booked via Eventbrite.

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