It's National Poetry Day today, Thursday 4 October  … and here are just some of the events happening around the country.

At London’s Southbank Centre it’s National Poetry Day Live, with free readings during the day compered by Roger McGough. You can join Inua Ellams’ intergalactic Twitter poem, be offered a cosmic cure for a broken heart by the Poetry Library doctors, or star gaze from one of the poetry tents popping up along the South Bank, inspired by Peace Camp, Deborah Warner’s UK-wide poetry project commissioned for the London 2012 Festival. In addition, over 400 secondary students from all over the UK have produced InTents, inspired by Peace Camp. Their poems and artworks are embroidered, cross-stitched, and etched onto a dozen tents which will pop up along the South Bank.

The day will be welcomed in with Dawn’s Chorus at Warwick castle from 6-9am, a poetry-writing workshop run by publishers Nine Arches Press, and part of the Warwick Words festival.

Down in Cornwall, the good folk in the fishing village of Mousehole will be fixing poems on to rocket fireworks and setting them off, aiming for the heavens. There will also be free, open-air poetry performances.

Exeter’s poetry festival kicks off today too, launching four days of readings, workshops and slam.  

In Lincoln, the Pimento Poets mark the day with free readings from their new booklet, Voices from the Steep, plus readings of Lincolnshire dialect poems and extracts from poems by Lincolnshire-born poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Venue: Lincoln Central Library, from 12.30-2pm. 

Up in the north-west, a Seeing Stars poetry workshop will be taking place at Kents Bank art gallery, Grange-over-Sands. Run by Kim Moore and Jennifer Copley from 4-6.30pm, the £15 includes free entry to the evening open mic at Abbott Hall hotel, just down the road.   Contact: Kim Moore, 07919046346, or email kimmoore30@hotmail.com  

In Manchester a conglomeration of poets will be reading at Waterstones Deansgate in the first floor poetry section, from noon to 6.45pm, including Andrew McMillan, Peter Sansom, Helen Tookey, and Geoff Hattersley, followed by Gillian Clarke at 7pm.

In East Yorkshire, at Leven near Beverley there’s five-hour poetry marathon from 1-6pm at Holy Trinity church. The choice of poem can be one of your own, or a favourite. Entry is free, just turn up to read. 

In Hampshire a guerrilla poetry event will erupt in the town centre of Alton. Poets identifiable by their “camouflage” bandana headgear will be giving readings and approaching bystanders. It’s all part of Alton Word Fest, a week-long festival of written and spoken word. 

There's a Curry and Kipling night at the Elephant and Castle in Lewes, Sussex, while on the south coast at Worthing there will be a poetry wall where people can attach their favourite texts. At Lime Cafe (St Paul’s)  Patience Agbabi headlines, preceded by Voices Various performing, including three winners of a local competition. Tickets are £10. 

In Wales, four young poets - Iwan Rhys, Eurig Salisbury, Osian Rhys Jones and Hywel Griffiths - face the gruelling task of composing 100 new Welsh language poems in 24 hours, starting at midnight. 

And here’s something else out of the ordinary … Funeral Services of Northern Ireland launch a national poetry competition giving entrants the opportunity to honour “those stars who watch over them” with eulogy poems. 

In Scotland, a free evening of poetry lead by Rev Catherine Hepburn and poet Peter Morriss will be held at West Mearns parish church, Auchenblae, Kincardineshire, from 7-9pm, followed by tea and coffee and a fine piece. 

That’s just a taste of the events taking place on National Poetry Day. More events and details