Soulful songs of protest, sea-inspired shanties and punk poetry are just some of the events coming as part of POW! Thanet for International Women's Day.

The programme of arts and culture celebrating the day has the theme of Empowerment this year, with an eclectic mix of events from a DnB rave-up at Ramsgate Music Hall to a profanity-inspired embroidery workshop at Walpole Bay Hotel.

Launched on International Women’s Day, it began with a procession of suffragette-inspired protestors carrying handmade banners led by artist Jessica Voorsanger with the Margate Social Choir performing at Turner Contemporary.

Pioneering women omitted from the history books will be elevated and celebrated through dance and film and there will be thought-provoking exhibitions from talented Thanet women including pieces created by community groups East Kent Mencap, Pie Factory Music, Oasis Domestic Abuse Service, and Copperfields.

Last year’s show-stopper, Wink the Other Eye returns to the Lido Cliff Bar with cabaret curated by Ramsgate’s radical producers, Screaming Alley.

Writer and historian Amber Butchart will take visitors on a fashion-focused journey through time while classicist Mary Beard’s Women and Power will be discussed by a panel including

Turner Contemporary director Victoria Pomery MBE and chaired by Oasis CEO, Deb Cartwright.

Acclaimed Thanet-based authors Daisy Buchanan and Maggie Gee will be discussing about their latest books inspired by the isle and strong female role models.

The festival will be rounded off by punk poet Brigitte Aphrodite performing parts of The Parakeet Experience.

It will be festival director Christina Clark-McQuaid's final event after founding the festival four years ago. She said: "I feel very proud of what has been achieved over the last four years - Thanet now leads the way in making International Women's Day a spectacular, celebratory, yet challenging, event and it's great to see other organisations across east Kent following our example."

To find out more about the festival, which runs until Sunday, March 17, and its programme, go to powthanet.com