2008 Festival programme

A full programme of events is now available for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
Click here to visit our event page.

Crime authors gather to celebrate launch of programme of festival

Title sponsor Simon Theakston had four best selling authors in the dock to celebrate the launch of the 2008 crime writing festival on Thursday 29th November 2007 at the Council Chambers in Harrogate.

Past, current and future programming chairs all gathered to ‘bear witness’ to title sponsor Simon Theakston that the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate is the biggest and most successful event of its kind in Europe. 

For the full line-up click on our Authors pages.

Harrogate International Festivals wins prestigious award 

Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival

December 2007

At a ceremony held in the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford, Harrogate International Festivals won the Arts & Business Sustainability Award, Yorkshire for T&R Theakston’s sponsorship of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

The Award, a glass sculpture by Gina B Clarke, was collected by Simon Theakston and by Sharon Canavar,Operations Director for Harrogate International Festivals.

Simon Theakston, Executive Director of T&R Theakston said: ‘We have been working with Harrogate International Festivals on the crime writing festival for a few years now and are delighted to have recently signed up for a further 5 year sponsorship. We are thrilled to receive this Award, as it recognises how successful a partnership can be when there is a clear synergy between the two brands.’

As regional winners, the Festival and Theakstons are now entered for the Arts & Business National Awards, which take place in London in 2008.

Children Turn to Crime… Writing

December 2007

Children all over Yorkshire will soon be turning to crime writing thanks to a new partnership between Harrogate International Festivals and Leeds Metropolitan University. A series of workshops designed to stimulate creative thinking and create creative writing will start in the New Year. 

A warm welcome to our programming chair for 2008... Simon Kernick

December 2007

When I was asked to be the programming chair for the 2008 festival, I have to say I was bit daunted, afteral I am following in the footsteps of Val McDermid, Mark Billingham and Natasha Cooper. I knew I had to create something exciting and new but also retaine the heart of what the festival is all about. I am thrilled that with the support of the programming committee we have pulled together a programme that combines all of those factors.

Crime Does Pay as Award Winner Announced

After 9 weeks, with crime readers casting thousands of votes both in-store at Waterstone’s and online, the winner of the 2007 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year has been announced. Allan Guthrie‘s novel, Two Way Split beat strong competition to scoop this sought after prize which was announced at the Awards Ceremony on the opening night of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.