The closing date for entries in this year’s Ripon Poetry Festival competition is fast approaching and people of all ages still have time to take part.

This year's event runs from September 19 to September 22 and the closing date for entries is July 31.

Advising would-be entrants, festival curator Andy Croft said:

The best of the entries will be included in three books published during the festival and everyone who has a poem in one of the books will be invited to read at the launches at Ripon Arts Hub, on Saturday September 21, where they will receive a free copy.

The categories are:

• Under-11s ( with a £2 entry-fee per poem)

• 12-18 year-olds (£3 entry-fee per poem)

• Adults (£5 entry-fee per poem)

Festival highlights

Programme highlights of the seventh Ripon Poetry Festival include well-known performance poets Kate Fox and Adisa the Verbaliser.

There will be readings by Jackie Litherland, Marilyn Longstaff, Khadijah Ibrahim, Joe Williams and the writing and performing collective Vane Women

This year’s festival also includes poetry-workshops for children and grown-ups, an open-mic evening, the adventures of Reggie from the Hedgie and book-launches by local poets Caroline Matusiak, Trevor Vaughan and Ian Clarke.

The 2023 festival proved a huge success with sell-out performances and a record entry for the annual poetry competition.

More information about the poetry competitions or about the festival can be obtained from Andy Croft on 07721890778 or info@smokestack-books.co.uk