Festival's impressive line-up as poets head for the seaside

The first of what the organisers hope will be many BPFs, runs from June 11 to June 13. With 32 events spread over three days, the festival is centred around Sewerby Hall and is set to attract poetry readers and writers from across the country. Some of poetry's best-loved figures will be performing, including Simon Armitage, Paul Durcan, Colette Bryce, Robin Robertson, Daljit Nagra and Jacob Polley.

There are poetry workshops throughout the weekend, and special drama and word-play events for children and parents on Saturday and Sunday morning – two of which involve a visit to Sewerby Hall's own zoo.

Bridlington Poetry Festival has been organised by the Wordquake project, set up to promote creative writing and reading in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Simon Armitage, whose latest collection is called Seeing Stars, said: "I spent many holidays in Bridlington, most of them walking between the town and Sewerby along the cliffs, looking enviously at those who went past on the model train. It was a lifetime ago, another country, and I'm looking forward to being there again."

Headlining the Saturday evening is the highly acclaimed Irish poet, Paul Durcan. Other highlights include three Poetry Doubles events, in which a major poet reads with his or her own choices of "Double" – a poet at first-collection stage.

Poetry Doubles was first staged at Friargate Theatre in York in 2003, when then-Poet Laureate Andrew Motion launched the series with his choice of Colette Bryce as "Double". Seven years later, Bryce headlines the first of Bridlington's Doubles readings with of Katharine Kilalea as her "Double".

Kilalea's debut collection, One Eye'd Leigh (Carcanet), was shortlisted for the Costa Poetry Award 2009.

The second Poetry Doubles features Robin Robertson, winner of the 2006 Forward Poetry Prize for Swithering (Picador) with his "Double",

J O Morgan, whose 70-page single poem Natural Mechanical (CB Editions) won the prestigious Aldeburgh First Collection Prize in 2009.

The third is headlined by Daljit Nagra, winner in 2007 of the Forward Prize for Best First Collection with Look We Have Coming to Dover (Faber). His "Double" is young poet and film maker Heather Phillipson, one of the four Faber New Poets whose debut pamphlets were published in 2009.

For complete festival listings call 01482 392699 or visit www.bridlington-poetry-festival.com

For your chance to win two-day passes for the first two days of the festival and a night's stay at Bridlington's Bay View Hotel on Friday, June 11, answer the following question: What is Simon Armitage's latest collection called?

Send your answer, along with your name, address and contact number, to Bridlington Poetry Festival, Libraries and Information Council Offices, Skirlaugh, HU11 5HN. Winners will be informed on June 5. Closing date for entries, June 4. Usual YPN rules apply.