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06
Aug 2020
10,000 tune into to Harrogate International Festivals' virtual weekender
Harrogate International Festivals says its first ever virtual event was a success, with over 10,000 people tuning in from more than 60 different countries worldwide.
The HIF weekender had to adapt to an online format for the first time in its history. The festival saw people enjoying the event from countries such as Brazil, Japan, Australia and Canada.
The weekend began with the announcement of the winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. This year the award was given to Uber driver and barman Adrian McKinty for his book The Chain.
Read more:
- Adrian McKinty was "gobsmacked" when he won the prestigious award
- Harrogate theatre announces it will not reopen until 2021
This was followed by a line-up featuring internationally acclaimed musicians and best selling authors. The weekend also saw the world premiere of Eclipse, an exclusive new piece of music written by internationally renowned composer Dr David Lancaster.
In an interview with the Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, Sharon Canavar told the Stray Ferret that the online event was a different experience. She said:
The Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival usually welcomes nearly 15,000 people to its three day event. Sharon said that it was important that the festival still took place. She said:
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