POETRY and spoken word will be a big part of this year’s Harwich Festival of the Arts.

Acclaimed poet Simon Armitage will appear at iconic cinema the Electric Palace to describe his gruelling 265 mile walk along the Pennine Way as a modern day troubadour, exchanging poems and talks for bed and board.

Baritone Richard Fallas and pianist Phillip Mead will be performing Tachograph a collaboration between Simon Armitage and festival director Diana Burrell on the same evening of Thursday July 3.

An evening entitled Calling with Gulls on the LV18 will see a collection of poems read aloud on the theme of movement, migration and dislocation and Songs of Angel at St Nicholas church will see examples of Gregorian and Russian Orthodox chant.

Local poet Gillian Greensdale will duet with folk artist Lucy Ward at Samuel Pepys, and she will later sing at the Electric Palace with her new band of six accomplished musicians allowing her to ‘get the stuff out of her head which she doesn’t have enough arms to play.’

For full listings and to buy tickets for the show visit harwichfestival.co.uk or the festival's pop-up shop on Dovercourt High Street.