Join Sunday Times number one bestselling author Lemn Sissay OBE as he reads from his collection Let the Light Pour In . Over ten years Lemn has started each day writing four lines of poetry and sharing them with the world. Life-affirming, witty and full of wonder, these poems chronicle his battle with the dark, and are fuelled by resilience and defiant joy. A thought-provoking and entertaining evening not to be missed. Photo Credit Paul Crowther Kindly sponsored by John Goodwin

After a run of sold out gigs across the UK and Europe, Hollie McNish is back in Ledbury with her Lobster and Other Things Im Learning To Love paperback tour. For this special event Hollie will be joined by Michael Pedersen, for the Ledbury launch of his debut novel Muckle Flugga . Expect strong language, adult themes, as we dive in to an evening with these ineffable wordsmiths.

Join us as we kick off the festival in style with the wonderful Pascale Petit, as she reads from her ninth collection, Beast . Here, spirits of the wild haunt the Camargue of Provence, the limestone Causses and gorges of the Languedoc, Indian tiger forests, the Amazon rainforest, and Petits home by Bodmin Moor. Beast asks if survival is possible in an abusive family and on an abused home planet, in the face of climate catastrophe, childhood trauma and war, insisting that making art is an act of love and hope.

Poets Zaffar Kunial and Rebecca Tams, alongside writer and artistLally MacBeth, delve into the myths, folklore, and shifting identities of wyrd England. From ancient traditions to the modern day, this event will unweave the strange and spectral threads of Englishness. Supported by the Hawthornden Foundation

Forward Prize winner Daljit Nagra redefined what poetry sounds like in modern Britain. 28 years after the publication of his first collection Look we have coming to Dover! , his verse remains defiantly fresh, thrilling and politically charged. Join us as we spend an evening with Daljit as he revisits some of the standout pieces from his incredible back catalogue. Friends Event - Ledbury Poetry Friends members get half price tickets for this event

For sixty years, Roger McGough has thrilled and delighted generations of readers with his irreverent, intimate and ever-original poetry. The Collected Poems presents the definitive selection of his very best work; a distillation of over 40 books across 60 years. Join us as we delve in to this unmatched store of warmth, wisdom and feeling from one of Britain's most beloved poets. Kindly sponsored by Stuart & Wendy Houghton + Pelham & Melissa Hawker

Known most widely for his childrens work, in this special event,Michael Rosen will read some of his favourite pieces from his various adult poetry collections. Chaired by Poet in Residence,Zaffar Kunial, this promises to be an unforgettable afternoon of outstanding poetry. Kindly sponsored by The Uncommon Touch Massage Therapy

Join co-authors poet Deborah Alma, founder of the Poetry Pharmacy, and Mark Constantine OBE, Co-founder and CEO of LUSH, as they discuss their new book The Poetry Business School and how a good poem can help today's business leaders make better decisions. An inspirational approach to the creative power of poetry both in life and business.

Inspired by the reawakened Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, this gorgeously illustrated new collection of poems illuminates and reimagines the ingenious, fragile dwellings of the living creatures around us. Using elements of riddle and folklore, the Poet Laureate creates a vibrant account of non-stop stop-motion life enriched by the books artwork by printmaker Beth Munro. Just as a garden provides refuge for wildlife, so do these intricate poems offer lasting homes to those who dwell within their lines. Kindly sponsored by Redkite Solicitors

In collaboration with the National Coal Mining Museum, the Poetry Business have gathered poems and photographs for a remarkable book about miners and mining communities, before, during and after the Strike. It features outstanding and often moving poems by among many others Simon Armitage, Liz Berry, Duncan Bush, Gillian Clarke, Maura Dooley, Ian McMillan and Helen Mort. Engaging readings, together with slides of images by celebrated photographers John Harris, Keith Pattison and Brenda Prince. Kindly sponsored by BRM

As a part of our work with primary schools around the year, children from Primary Schools in Herefordshire meet with a leading childrens poet to hear them perform their work and enjoy some fun games and activities. Followed by creative and inventive sessions with Ledbury PoetrysToni Cook. This is a closed event. Kindly sponsored by BRM

This is a private event where pupils from John Masefield High School Ledbury, Aconbury PRU Hereford, Ayelstone High School Hereford and young people from Cube Youth perform poems that they have written in uplifting and empowering sessions with writing and performance tutor,Toni Cook. This is a closed event.

Programme to include poetry, stand-up comedy/impressions and around 7-14 short piano pieces by Satie, Grieg, Shostakovich, Bach, Debussy, Madeleine Dring. Alistair McGowan is a highly talented comedian, actor, impressionist, writer, and pianist, known as one of the best comedian-impressionists in the UK. He gained fame with his BAFTA-winning TV show The Big Impression, where he impersonated public figures. Alistair is a regular on BBC comedy programs and often hosts corporate events. After rediscovering his love for the piano later in life, he released The Piano Album in 2017, which topped the classical charts. His show offers a delightful mix of comedy, poetry, and music that will leave audiences both entertained and inspired. The programme includes a blend of stand-up, impressions, and short piano pieces by iconic composers such as Satie, Grieg, Shostakovich, Bach, Debussy, and Madeleine Dring, seamlessly woven together with Alistair’s unique charm. Don’t miss this perfect evening of light-hearted humour and beautiful music! The show will last c.2 hours including a 20 minute interval.

Please note venue change from print programme - will now be held in Community Hall not the Market Theatre Based in Herefordshire for nearly 50 years, Glenn Storhaug, through Five Seasons Press , has been creating affordable poetry books and collectible editions featuring an impressive range of poets, including Frances Horovitz, Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, Anne Stevenson and Wendell Berry. This intimate portrait by local filmmakersCatcher Media celebrates Glenns work as he talks about the poets he has collaborated with and the books he has created.' A Q&A with Glenn andRick Goldsmith, the films director, follows the screening. Weekend Pass Event