A POETRY festival attracting bards from across the country will take place this weekend in Cumbria. 

The 2024 edition of Kirkby Lonsdale Poetry Festival will start on Friday, September 13 with Ginnelverse: Page to Parade Workshop in the Methodist church on Queens Square at 3pm.

There will be performances from Caz Teague and Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin (Friday, St Mary's Church), Ray and Hazel Mehmet (Saturday, Methodist) and Andie Davies (Sunday, Methodist), along with open mic slots and free workshops. 

The first Kirkby Lonsdale Poetry FestivalThe first Kirkby Lonsdale Poetry Festival (Image: Newsquest, Daniel Pye)

It is the second festival with local poet Matt Sowerby at the helm. The first one was in 2022. 

It aims to make poetry as 'fun and accessible as possible' and to 'celebrate the town's poetic history.' 

Matt Sowerby has organised the festivalMatt Sowerby has organised the festival (Image: Newsquest, Daniel Pye)

The town has had a long association with art, attracting famous figures such as Ruskin, Turner and Wordsworth.