Preview Barefoot in the Park

A festival of words takes over Woodhouse's Hyde Park on 6th June

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Preview: Barefoot in the Park

A battle will be fought in Hyde Park on Sunday 6^th June – not with swords or snowballs or light sabers – but with far less deadly weapons: words and wit.

The annual poetry festival, Barefoot in the Park, is back. And it’s bringing lyrical conflict to a grassy patch of Hyde Park with its hotly-contested Slam Battle. At the inaugural festival in 2007, the Slam Battle was won by Alabaster de Plume and now, the reigning champions Al Cummins and Raf Attar are flexing their larynx muscles and preparing to duel with any poets who think they’re up to the challenge.

Now in its fourth year, Barefoot 2010 is being dubbed as “even bigger, better and more fabulous than before”. It takes place bang in the middle of Hyde Park (or Woodhouse Moor to those in the know), next to the Bowls Pavilion, from midday until 9pm.

Alongside the battle to be King or Queen of Slam (and take home the £20 cash prize), there will also be two sizzling open mic sessions, lashings of poetry (including the words of Adam Strickson and Andrew McMillan), storytelling, a comedy set from Tickled Pig, and live music and acoustic guitar, all of which you can listen to with the grass between your toes (weather permitting).

And if you want to share your poetry, stories or songs, there’s plenty of opportunity for you to try out your writing in front of the friendly, fun-loving Barefoot crowd.

This year there’s also a new Arts & Vintage tent, complete with art displays – from watercolour paintings to installations – and a vintage-inspired fashion fair. Also making an appearance is the Marvellous Tea Dance Company, who will bring a passion for all things kitsch to the Barefoot in the Park festival and provide tasty refreshments in the form of tea and cupcakes. And to get you in the mood, there’s a poetry and prose competition, which you can enter online.

So kick off your summer flip flops and let the battle commence…

6 June, Hyde Park, off Woodhouse Lane, LS6, 12-9pm, £7 (£6 concs, £6 adv, £5 adv concs)

Posted on Wednesday 12th May 2010
SH

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