World class poets and epic late night open mics at Morecambe Poetry Festival
The godfather of punk poetry John Cooper Clarke opens the fifth edition of the Morecambe Poetry Festival with 10 nationally acclaimed poets taking to the Winter Gardens stage on September 18 to 20.
Dr John Cooper Clarke, aka the Bard of Salford, is joined by festival favourite Jan Brierton on Friday September 18.
Patience Abgabi and Nick Helm headline the evening Saturday show at 5pm; followed by Salena Godden and Henry Normal - back for the fifth time - at 7.30pm.
The festival closes on Sunday with Luke Wright and Kate Fox at 5pm and Brian Bilston and Attila the Stockbroker at 7.30pm.
All individual shows are £25 plus booking fee, with the full weekend pass offering the best value for money access to every single show for just £65.
The action moves over to the King’s Arms on Friday with Thick Richard and Miles Hadfield before the floor is thrown open for the famous late night ‘They Shoot Poets Don’t They’ open mic.
Early risers can enjoy a poetry breakfast on all three days leading into the day’s activities such as the free Word Walk or the workshop ‘So you think you can't write a poem, let us prove you wrong!’ at the library on Saturday.
Comedian, author and broadcaster Robin Ince is returning to the festival on Saturday, taking the stage at the King’s Arms at 1pm, before a Burning Eye takeover, Demi Dhotel, Des Mannay, Tim Barlow and a Geordie takeover.
The late night action comes from Pete Ramskill and Dave Viney, followed by the open mic.
It’s a chance to meet the publishers on Sunday at 11am, before the poetry starts with festival favourite Jackie Kay at midday, followed by Lisa Moore, Peter Shukie, Elvis McGonagall and two more regional takeovers.
The Newton Neurotics and Monkey Poet - performing new poems - take to the stage before the last open mic of the festival weekend brings the curtain down on the word fiesta.
The four winners of the local poetry slam are also preparing for their moment on the main stage with workshops and stagecraft sessions at the Winter Gardens led by festival founder Matt Panesh.
Matt said: “This is something we’ve been building on from year one. It’s also the reasoning behind our anthologies. It’s all about giving people the opportunity and the confidence. I want our local poets to go onto that stage and own it, proving they’ve every right to be in front of a packed audience at the town’s historic performance venue.”
Award winning local poet Trystan Lewis will be supporting John Cooper Clarke on the opening night. Trystan has headlined spoken word nights across the North West, and won the 2024 Plough Poetry Prize (judged by Roger McGough) and back-to-back local prizes at the Morecambe Poetry Festival, and was longlisted for the 2026 Forward Prize.
Trystan said: “The first Morecambe Poetry Festival was the thing that got me writing again for the first time in a very long time and every year it refills the tank with inspiration and enthusiasm. It’s great how Matt manages ways of giving local poets the chance to be heard on the same stage as some of the country’s biggest names. It’s a precious thing.”
This year’s anthology is the biggest to date, with an entertainers and anniversaries theme to mark the centenary of the birth of Eric Morecambe. Copies will be available to buy at the festival, with profits going back into the event.
A free children’s programme led by Hot Poets, the UK’s leading climate and literacy organisation and Carnforth poet laureate Bryan Griffin will showcase the work of children taking part in workshops in the run up to the event, open mics, and creative events at Morecambe Town Library.
The festival has quickly established itself as a must do on the spoken word circuit for both performers and audiences alike. A new ‘Poetry for the People’ pedal powered stage at the Arndale has been introduced, giving more performance opportunities and open mic slots to accommodate the growing demand.
A Burning Eye Books publisher takeover, regional poetry showcases, a Best of Morecambe showcase, open mics, poetry slams, a pre-festival symposium, poetry breakfasts, word walks and workshops all contribute to making this festival an essential destination for all poetry lovers.
Weekend passes are £65 + booking fee, giving access to every single show, and representing the best value for money. A premium pass can be booked for front row seats.
Visit https://www.skiddle.com/g/morecambe-poetry-festival-/#events for tickets.