The inaugural Banjo Paterson Festival in Orange from February 7 to 17 is shaping up to be a success, according to organisers, with a number of events already sold out.

Over the 10-day festival poetry readings will be mixed with duelling banjos, an art exhibition, markets and bush tucker cooking classes for children.

The festival replaces last year’s Slow Summer and will feature many of the same family-friendly events, according to Taste Orange chief executive officer Rhonda Sear.

A family fun day at Emmaville cottage on Sunday, February 16 will feature Banjo’s poems, market stalls and a barbecue with families encouraged to unfurl their picnic rug and enjoy the day.

“They will learn a lot about Banjo and there’s information they’ll be able to get from the day,” Ms Sear said.

One of the festival’s highlights will be an Australian poems evening at Orange Civic Theatre with actor Jack Thompson to read some of the country’s most-loved poems.

“We thought wouldn’t it be fantastic to get some of the characters out of The Man from Snowy River,” Ms Sear said.

Each morning from February 10 to 14 the festival will start its day with a poetry reading and breakfast in Robertson Park.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Orange, the breakfast and poetry session will set you back just $5.

There are also bushtucker cooking lessons with Kate Bracks, a yabbie fishing competition and many more events based around the works of the famous bush poet.

For the full Banjo Paterson Festival program visit www.tasteorange.com.au.