Sheffield's poetry festival, which kicks off on 31 May and goes through to 9 June, promises to be local, national and international, and includes a children's event, film-poems, and a poetry walk. Local poets will line up alongside the likes of Julia Copus, Jean Sprackland, Bernard O’Donoghue, Gillian Clarke, Michael Symmons Roberts, Helen Mort, and David Cooke, in an inclusive and eclectic festival aimed at promoting small writers’ groups as well as big names.   

 

MAY

Liverpool Writing on the wall festival, 1-31 May 

Sheffield Lyric festival, 2-5 May

Strokestown international poetry festival, Co Roscommon, Ireland, 3-5 May 

Swindon festival of literature, 6-18 May 

Poetry-next-the-sea, Wells-next-the-sea, Norfolk, 10-12 May 

Norfolk and Norwich festival, 10-26 May 

St Ives literature festival, Cornwall, 11-18 May 

Prestwich book festival, 14 May - 15 June 

Iron Age festival, Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear, 15-19 May 

London literature festival, 20 May - 8 September 

Hay festival, 23 May - 2 June

London Keats festival, 24 May - 2 June 

Glastonwick festival of beer, music and poetry, Coombes, West Sussex, 31 May - 2 June  

Wychwood festival, 31 May - 2 June 

Sheffield poetry festival, 31 May -9 June

 

JUNE

Hay festival, ends 2 June

London Keats festival, ends 2 June 

Glastonwick festival of beer, music and poetry, Coombes, West Sussex, ends 2 June  

Wychwood festival, ends 2 June

Sheffield poetry festival, ends 9 June

Scribble festival, Manchester, 11-12 June 

Bridlington poetry festival, 14-16 June 

Ludlow Fringe festival, 21-30 June

Hebden Bridge arts festival, 22-30 June 

Glastonbury festival, 26-30 June 

 

JULY

Ledbury poetry festival, Herefordshire, 5-14 July 

Wirral Festival of Firsts, 6-14 July

Latitude festival, Southwold, Suffolk, 18-21 July 

 

AUGUST

Edinburgh festival fringe, 2-26 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 

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.