Woodstock’s first poetry festival will host some of the most interesting poets writing in English today, many of whom live in Oxfordtford.

They include university lecturers Bernard O'Donoghue and Jamie McKendrick, who will both be reading from their collections.

Organiser Rachel Phipps describes the Woodstock festival as “a highly eclectic mix of local and national poets”, including former drug addict Sam Willetts, who grew up in Oxford. He will appear with Robin Robertson at the opening event at St Edward’s School in Oxford tomorrow, see right.

Other events are in Woodstock, including National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke, launching her new collection Ice, Kirtlington Poetry Group, and performance group New Libertines, organised by Dan Holloway of Chipping Norton. The festival starts with a poetry workshop at the Marlborough School, and the launch of next year’s Christopher Tower Prize for Poetry.

By coincidence, the Albion Beatnik bookshop in Walton Street, Oxford, is hosting a poetry and jazz season. Events include one headed by Jenny Lewis, entitled Nine Oxford Poets. Willetts, O’Donoghue and McKendrick are also there later this month.