This weekend, Port Sunlight transforms into a living stage as the Wirral Poetry Festival 2025 arrives on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October. With its rich mix of performances, competitions, workshops, and community events, the festival is set to be one of the most welcoming and vibrant arts gatherings on Merseyside this autumn.
For two days, the village’s theatres, galleries, and green spaces will become poetry hubs. Expect a programme that moves effortlessly from family-friendly sessions to bold, cross-arts performances. The much-loved Open Poetry Competition winners will be announced and showcased, alongside open-mic events, community workshops, and headline performances that celebrate both established voices and fresh local talent.
This year’s line-up highlights the festival’s trademark balance: intimate readings, experimental multimedia shows, and the ever-popular video anthology screening. Poetry lovers can experience words colliding with music and moving images, while newcomers can dive into accessible, welcoming events designed to show that poetry really is for everyone.
What makes Wirral Poetry Festival so special is its sense of place. Port Sunlight is more than just a backdrop: its leafy avenues, striking architecture, and historic venues create a festival-in-a-village atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else. Families can stroll between events, visitors can soak up the heritage, and audiences can discover poetry in settings that are as inspiring as the words themselves.
For poets, the festival offers multiple routes in — from the competitive edge of the Open Poetry Competition to relaxed open-mic slots and supportive workshops. For audiences, it promises the pleasure of discovery: one minute you’re listening to a seasoned performer at the Gladstone Theatre, the next you’re catching a rising voice on a pop-up stage. It’s about inclusivity and fun! Ali Harwood, part of the festival’s organising committee enthused:
“We hope that Wirral Poetry Festival 2025 will reflect both the challenging truths and natural beauty in our world, replenish festival goers belief in the power of creativity, and renew trust in the wonder of words and what we share in common”
With tickets available now and a spread of free and drop-in events, it’s an easy weekend to join. So whether you’re a committed poetry fan, a casual visitor curious about live performance, or a family looking for something different to do together, the Wirral Poetry Festival is a welcoming space to enjoy words in all their forms.
Don’t miss the chance to see Port Sunlight at its most alive — buzzing with poems, performances, and community spirit.
Wirral Poetry Festival
4 – 5 October 2025
More info via wirralpoetryfestival.org.uk
What a wonderfully vibrant soundbite about Wirral Poetry Festival! It sounds like Port Sunlight will be buzzing more than just its leafy avenues this autumn. Who knew poetry could be such a community spirit booster? From family-friendly strolls to challenging truths, it’s the kind of inclusive, cross-arts magic that makes you want to drop everything and join the poetry party. Ali Harwood hits the nail on the head – it’s about the power of words, the fun of discovery, and maybe finding your inner poet while avoiding the competitive edge of the Open Poetry Competition (unless you’re into that, of course!). Sounds like a weekend well-spent, even if you just pop along for a drop-in event. Bring on the words colliding with music!đồng hồ bấm giờ đếm ngược