PUBS, cafes, churches and schools will be packed with visitors during Ramsbottom’s first ever Literary and Arts Festival.

Poets, musicians, actors and writers from all over the borough will be descending on the town for the event on Saturday November 21, from 10am to midnight.

Organised by Ramsbottom Writers' Circle as their first major promotion, cafés, restaurants and community hubs will host an array of performances.

Spokeswoman Elaine Speakman said: “The run-up has been unbelievable. People have been coming out of the woodwork, and there’s a lot of events with more to go up on our website.

“We’re thrilled to bits from the response we’ve received so far, and blown away by some of the talent we’ve discovered and can’t wait for a packed day of free and a few paid-for events.”

‘Meet-the-author’ spots will take place across the town and The Grants Arms, in Market Place, will host literary salons and a ‘cafe noir’ evening featuring top burlesque performers.

The festival, which is being crowdfunded to keep events as inclusive as possible, will feature some other main events at Ramsbottom Library in Carr Street, and Ramsbottom Civic Hall.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is being performed at 11.30am at the civic hall and tickets for the show cost £8 for adults and £6 for children under 12 and concessions - available from Paul Jenkins by e-mailing pdjmail1@yahoo.co.uk or from Ramsbottom Library.

Author Dan Jeffries will be talking about his book which details coming to terms with two life-threatening conditions, and will answer questions and sign copies at the civic hall from 2.45pm.

Other events include a question and answer session by two Ramsbottom authors Alrene Hughes and Louise A Jones at Owen’s restaurant in Bridge Street, from 1pm to 2.15pm.

Currently there is a £1,000 Kickstarter funding appeal running, to support the organisational costs, which can be accessed at tinyurl.com/rammylitfest

For more details: go to rammylitfest.com