Festival Expansion Celebrated At Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026

Harrogate International Festivals has announced the launch of the Swift Half Stage at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s largest celebration of criVme fiction, taking place in Harrogate, 23-26 July. Named in a playful nod to the Festival’s long-standing partnership with Theakston Brewery, this innovative new space champions brilliant storytellers, rising stars and boundary-pushing creatives in a series of intimate, bite-size events.

As Harrogate International Festivals celebrates its 60th anniversary, this exciting expansion reflects a Festival looking firmly to the future with a commitment to championing an even wider range of authors from across the crime writing genre. Designed to complement the main stage programme, the Swift Half Stage offers even more for crime fiction fans to discover and enjoy at this year’s Festival.

Swift Half Stage programme highlights include:
Mick Herron and David McCloskey take an entertaining look at the evolution of the spy hero – from glamorous Cold War operatives to today’s flawed protagonists.
Author and Broadchurch showrunner Chris Chibnall, and TV writer and author M.J. Arlidge, compare the craft of writing novels and TV drama.
Exciting new voices in contemporary crime and psychological fiction, Ahana Virdi and Will Carver, discuss dark minds and twisted tales.
Harriet Tyce and Anna Mazzola pair up for a fast, fun game of secrets and deception guaranteed to test the audience’s detective skills to the limit.
Fan favorites Clare McGowan and Kia Abdullah discuss why secrets are so powerful in crime fiction.
Rising star Rebecca Philipson – whose journey to publication began at the Festival’s Creative Thursday – discusses her debut novel How to Get Away With Murder with Val McDermid.

We are proud to have supported the world’s biggest and best crime writing Festival for an incredible twenty-three years and delighted to see the Festival grow and innovate with the introduction of the Swift Half Stage this year. There’s something for everyone on the Swift Half programme - from much loved stars of the genre to boundary pushing rising stars and fun events with fan favourite authors. We look forward to welcoming authors and readers to Harrogate for an unforgettable Festival this July.
Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Harrogate International Festivals, the Swift Half Stage is an exciting addition to the world’s most popular crime Festival. Having a whole new stage has allowed us to programme a wider range of authors than ever before, offering even more for our community of crime fiction fans to discover and enjoy this year. Affordable and lively, these bite size events are also perfect for those who want to come along and experience the Festival for the first time!”

This year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival programme has been curated by bestselling psychological thriller writer Lisa Jewell and features over 140 crime and thriller writers making it the biggest event ever in the Festival’s twenty-three-year history. An all-star line-up of bestselling authors and crime fiction names including Ardal O’Hanlon, Andi Osho, Denise Mina, Adam Kay, Elly Griffiths, Vaseem Khan, Val McDermid, Anthony Horowitz, Holly Jackson, Alice Feeney, US crime superstar David Baldacci and Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn feature on the packed programme.
Tickets on sale now. To book tickets, please call +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.