ILKLEY Literature Festival will bring its Words in the City event back to Bradford next month, bringing local talent together with the best performers from across the country.

Words in the City returns on July 9 and 10 as part of Bradford Festival, offering an exciting weekend of free spoken word and poetry

On Saturday 9 July the Words in the City Stage at City Park in Bradford will host performers including rapper Testament, BBC 1xtra Words First finalists Asma Elbadawi, and Isaiah Hull and many more, with performances every half an hour from noon to 6pm.

Waterstones will be home to the second Words in the City Stage, with the chance to see some of Bradford’s most talented writers, including a specially commissioned piece by local writer and artist Kirsty Taylor combining poetry and photography inspired by the city.

Readings from the much loved Beehive Poets and Friends of Bradford Beck, as well as teenagers from Bradford and Ilkley Young Writers groups, will also be at Waterstones.

In the evening, Leeds Young Authors will use poetry to discuss and debate how to change the world at their Citizens of the Word event at Impressions Gallery.

On Sunday July 10, Waterstones will host a multi-lingual Mushaira, a gathering of the North’s leading poets, reading in Urdu, Hindi and English, while City Park boasts pop up performances by Leeds based film and theatre company Chicken Shop Shakespeare who will bring Shakespeare’s work to life in their unique style.

Finally, Hollie McNish, one of spoken word’s break-out stars, will be performing at Bradford Playhouse.

McNish, a former UK slam champion who has toured rock stadiums and literature festivals, will be performing with poets Kirsty Taylor, Gav Roberts and Gevi Carver, and there’s the added bonus of six Open Mic slots available to performers who turn up on the night.

Across the weekend there is also a host of drop in free activities for children and their families, including the chance to make a poetic poster using Letterpress and hear Roald Dahl’s hilarious take on classic fairy tales, Revolting Rhymes, performed by actors Simon Kerrigan and Sian Williams.

Ilkley Literature Festival Director, Rachel Feldberg, said: “We are really excited to have Words in the City as part of Bradford Festival this year, we know that City Park will be buzzing over the weekend and our events will feature vivid performances from talented local and national performers, who bring words to life in ways you’ve never heard before.

“We also have great activities for children and families, a taster session for teenage writers, our always popular multi-lingual Mushaira, a poetry debate that will spark imaginations and unmissable pop up Shakespeare performances.”

For full details of the Words in the City line up, visit ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk.