This year's Festival is shaping up to be one of the best yet. As ever it's hard to single out events that mustn't be missed and this year seems harder than ever. Sadly space doesn't allow us to list everything - and anyway you can get all the latest news and full listing on the official website - but for now, he's just some of the events we can look forward to.
 | | Val Bloom |
National Poetry Day on Thursday 7 October marks the beginning of the Festival. In the morning Jamaica born poet Val Bloom will be at the Library Theatre for a special event for schools. In the evening Running Away from Bus Stops: Survivors' Poetry launch is at Matt & Phred's Jazz Cafe. On Friday 8, the legend that is dead-pan port Hovis Presley takes to the stage at Matt & Phred's along with newcomers Thick Richard - fresh from Edinburgh. Saturday 9 sees a day of poetry activities at Contact Theatre including an MC Workshop under the watchful eye of Avaes Mohammad.
 | | Hovis Presley |
Out of town on Monday 11, Matthew Hollis and Jacob Polley perform at Bolton Octagon. On Tuesday 12, Godlee Observatory on Sackville Street sees a performance by Helen Clare with a collection of poetry that combines art and science in a careful examination of "what lies beneath£ the world of appearance. One of the really unmissible events has to be the Commonword Allcomers Slam hosted by Dike at the Frog and Bucket on On Wednesday 13. (See link opposite for further details). On Friday 15 it's per verse: 2nd Birthday featuring Trish Casey and Tony Walsh. per verse is an experiment in performance poetry and features poets old and new doing something different, making things up as they go along and generally warming the hearts of the audience. The event takes place at Studio Salford at the King's Arms on Bloom Street. See links below for details of events at this year's Festival and planned for National Poetry Day. | 
