A number of events, including Benjamin Zephaniah and Tony Benn’s Desert Island Poems, have already sold out at this year’s Ledbury poetry festival,  taking place from 5-14 July. It's one of the best-loved poetry festivals around; indeed,  “the best in the country”, according to Andrew Motion. Other highlights at the Herefordshire market town, close to the Malvern hills, include Ted Hughes award Kate Tempest, Liz Lochhead, Jane Draycott, Juliet Stevenson reading Sylvia Plath, Jacob Polley and Sean Borodale, and Emily Berry and Eric Gregory award winners, plus workshops, open mics, music, exhibitions, films, family events, street events, and a slam. There’s also still time to enter the £1,000 Ledbury poetry competition,  judged by Esther Morgan – the deadline is 9 July - with winners able to read their poems at this year’s festival. 

 

JUNE

Ludlow Fringe festival, 21-30 June

Didsbury arts festival, Manchester, 22-30 June 

Hebden Bridge arts festival, 22-30 June 

Glastonbury festival, 26-30 June 

Stratford-upon-Avon poetry festival, 30 June - 6 August

 

JULY

Ledbury poetry festival, Herefordshire, 5-14 July 

Wirral Festival of Firsts, 6-14 July

Stratford-upon-Avon poetry festival, July

John Clare Society festival, Helpston, near Peterborough, 12-14 July 

Penzance literary festival, 17-21 July 

Latitude festival, Southwold, Suffolk, 18-21 July 

 

AUGUST

Stratford-upon-Avon poetry festival, until 4 August 

Edinburgh festival fringe, 2-26 August

Edinburgh book festival, 10-26 August 

Arran, McLellan arts festival, 30 August – 8 September 

 

SEPTEMBER

Wigan Diggers’ festival, 7 September 

King’s Lynn poetry festival, 21-23 September 

Wigtown book festival, Dumfries and Galloway, 27 September - 6 October 

 

OCTOBER

Ilkley literature festival, 4-20 October, 

Morley literature festival, Leeds, 5-13 October

North Wales international poetry festival, Clywd theatre, 7 October ,

Manchester literature festival, 7-20 October 

Marsden poetry jam, jazz festival, Huddersfield, 11-13 October

Sheffield Off the Shelf festival of words, 12 October- 2 November 

Ryedale book festival, Malton, North Yorkshire, 19 October 

Torbay festival of poetry, 24-28 October

 

NOVEMBER

Aldeburgh poetry festival, 8-10 November 

 

Organisers, send us links to your festivals at news@writeoutloud.net, and we will endeavour to list them here, if they include poetry events. You can also upload individual festival events yourselves on our renowned Gig Guide.