The famous Marsden poetry jam at the fabulous Marsden jazz festival is on Sunday, during a weekend when this Pennine town comes alive with jazz everywhere, in special venues, in pubs, clubs and cafes, and in the streets. As part of the festival, on 11 October Write Out Loud’s founder, Julian Jordon, will once more be compering two or more hours of open mic poetry from 11am to 1pm on Sunday morning, at the Railway Inn, Marsden. Poets have travelled from across the Pennines, from Scotland and from down south to take part in this long-running and well-loved poetry morning. It’s a great chance for those who have never read their poems in public before to step up to the mic in a warm, friendly environment. Here’s what one newcomer, Dorinda MacDowell, said after travelling across from Write Out Loud Stockport to take part in the poetry jam last year: “WOW!!! - My first reading at an open mic event: what a marvellous experience! Julian, thank you for your warm welcome; your encouragement; your hospitality … an event I will never forget!”