The 56^th Stratford-upon-Avon Poetry Festival

19^th April - 14^th May 2009

                        - a celebration of poetry in the hometown of the world’s greatest poet

With events ranging from guest readings from Jane Lapotaire and Jeffery Dench, lectures from Michael Wood and Stanley Wells, to afternoon tea with Wendy Cope - there is something for every age, taste and pocket in this year’s Poetry Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The highlight of the festival is always The Shakespeare Birthday Lecture, which will be given this year on the 24^th April by Historian and television presenter - Michael Wood, and is entitled ‘New Light on Shakespeare’s Cardenio’. Tickets for any event involving celebrities tend to be snapped up quite quickly, but tickets for this event in particular, are always in demand. I recommend you book early!

Further details of Poetry Festival events can be found on The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s website at: www.shakespeare.org.uk/poetryfestival.html

The 23^rd April is Shakespeare’s birthday (as far as we know), and between then and the 26^th the whole town celebrates with parades and processions, recitals and performances, readings and religious services. It is a very special time to pay a visit to a very special town.