Aspects Festival - Poetry Slam review

What a night of poetry at Aspects Festival! We had an amazing time under the big marquee tent at Project 24, Bangor - one fantastic slam, support sets from Chris McLaughlin and David Braziel (both on absolutely TOP form) and a real treat in the festival teaming us up with the one and only Polarbear.

It was great to see so many faces, new and old, at the event, and we thank all our entrants and finalists (in the order their names were drawn out of the hat):
Dave Wilson, Judith Lowans Thurley, Patricia Devlin-Hill, Anthony Ferguson, Colin Hassard, Diane Morrison, Ian Campbell, Paul Daniel Rafferty, Patrick McNicholl, Lara Sunday, Laura Cameron, Joel Auterson, Charlotte Higgins and Ross Thompson.

Five poets went through to the final round, the top two going on to compete in the Ulster stage of the All Ireland Poetry Slam next Friday. In what was an incredibly close final, we had three poets tie for third place(!): Joel Auterson, Colin Hassard, and Judith Thurley.

Meaning that in second place was the fantastic Patricia Devlin-Hill, and the winner, a Bangor resident himself, ROSS THOMPSON.

Good luck to Patricia and Ross in the All-Ulster heat. We want to thank our guest judge Peter Adair who joined us at the judges' table, all the support staff and volunteers on the night, Aspects for allowing us to come back and slam with them once more, Ards and North Down Borough Council, and especially festival director Patricia Hamilton.

Poetry never stops, and indeed, we are back at Crescent Arts Centre on Friday 2nd October for more open mic goodness. We hope some of our new friends from Bangor can join us then. See you soon!