Carnival coming to Harrogate as part of summer programme

Harrogate is to hold a carnival for the first time in three years as part of a summer programme of cultural activities announced today.

Harrogate International Festivals will stage nine nights of events. starting on July 28 with the Brodsky Quartet at St Wilfrid’s Church.

Other highlights include the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, featuring authors such as Lynda La Plante, Michael Connelly and Ann Cleeves and the return of the Spiegeltent, including festivals favourite Graeme Park and a burlesque performance.

Mark Billingham (left) and Richard Osman (right) at the crime writing festival last year

Musicians and dancers will parade through the town centre on July 30 as part of a Rio de Janeiro-themed carnival.

The free family event, which has been commissioned by Harrogate Borough Council., will start with a parade through the town centre, featuring dancers and musicians.

It will finish in Valley Gardens where there will be street food stands, dance classes, jugglers, and live music.

This year’s programme also includes Oddsocks Productions’ performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet  at RHS Harlow Gardens, numerous classical and chamber music events and Berwins Salon North hosting a variety of TED talks discussing the power of influence.  

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Harrogate International Festivals chief executive, Sharon Canavar said:  

“Our final event of our 2022 summer programme is a real show-stopper.

“Carnival is an all-day, free family event which will bring the world to Harrogate as we celebrate a wealth of different cultures through dance, music and food.”

Since the pandemic, Harrogate International Festivals has held most events online.  

Ms Canavar said:  

“Two years ago, covid shut the events industry down overnight — and our very future was left hanging by a thread.”

The full programme is available here.

Harrogate’s crime writing festival reveals 2022 special guest line-up

Lynda La Plante, Paula Hawkins and Tess Gerritsen are among the authors set to appear at this year’s Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival.

Hosted by programme chair and award winning novelist, Denise Mina, the event will return to Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from July 21 to 24.

The event, organised by Harrogate International Festivals, offers an international audience the opportunity to discover the next big names in crime fiction and hear giants of the genre discuss their work. It includes panels, workshops and talks.

Among those appearing will be Lynda La Plante, creator of Prime Suspect, and Paula Hawkins, author of the global phenomenon Girl on the Train.

Michael Connelly, CL Taylor, Lucy Foley, John Connolly and Kathy Reichs will also appear as special guests.

Channel 4 journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern, who lives in Harrogate, will also be speaking with actor and author Charlie Higson about his new crime novel Whatever Gets You Through the Night.

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Meanwhile, festival favourite Val McDermid will be returning with her New Blood panel, showcasing four exciting debut crime writers to look out for.

‘Greatest crime-writing event of the year’

Denise Mina, bestselling author of the Garnethill trilogy and the Paddy Meehan novels, said: 

“The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is the greatest crime writing event of the year so it is a very real honour to be chairing it, to work with the programming committee and to have the chance to attend all the thrilling events. 

“After the difficulties and hardships of the past two years we are all very much looking forward to all of the writers and readers coming together in Harrogate once more.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of event organisers Harrogate International Festivals, said: 

“We look forward to announcing the full programme in the coming months, and sharing the exciting weekend we have planned for our attendees.”

Weekend break packages for the festival are on sale now.

A full programme for the event will be released in spring.

For more information and to book tickets, call +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk.

Author ‘over the moon’ after winning Harrogate festival’s crime novel of the year

Chris Whitaker went home with the prestigious crime novel of the year award last night after being awarded on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.

The four-day event, organised by the arts charity Harrogate International Festivals, welcomes big names in the crime-writing world.

Mr Whitaker’s books We Begin at the End, follows a 13-year-old girl and the local police chief in a Californian town. The book meets them when a murderer is released from prison and returns to their town.

It is a story of crime, punishment, love and redemption – one that Mr Whitaker has been working on for 20 years.

Mr Whitaker came up with the idea for the book after he was stabbed and mugged in North London when he was 19. He said the book came about during a really dark time so he often forgot about it and focused on other projects.

But four years ago he returned to the file on his computer called Duchess, the protagonist’s name, and got to work.

We begin at the end

The book front.

He said he couldn’t put into words how much this award meant to him. For years he has been visiting Harrogate for thhe Crime Writing Festival never believing one day he would be recognised.

He said it was an “honour” to win the award surrounded by so many of his literary idols.

Mr Whitaker said:

“I haven’t stopped smiling. This book has been a long time coming so it’s a lovely way to end the journey.

“I’ve been visiting the Harrogate festival for years, listening to my idols. I’m so proud and grateful to have been recognised like this.”

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This is Mr Whitaker’s third book. He said he is currently working on crime fiction book and will spend much of the next year promoting We Begin at the End across the world.

The book is currently in development to be made into a film.

The festival continues until Sunday. Special guests include Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Mick Herron, Clare Mackintosh, Val Mcdermid and Richard Osman.

Harrogate Festivals chief angered by removal of promotional banners

The chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals has vented her frustration after banners promoting a major event were promptly removed by North Yorkshire County Council.

Yesterday was the first day of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which attracts hundreds of crime writing fans to Harrogate.

The four-day festival, which is attended this year by the likes of Ian Rankin and Richard Osman, is one of the first events since the pandemic that the arts charity has been able to full stage.

So Sharon Canavar was less than impressed by what she regarded as a lack of support from the county council after numerous banners put up across town on Wednesday were removed by midday yesterday,

Ms Canavar tweeted:

“When you put your banners up welcoming guests to Harrogate last night and North Yorkshire County Council are snipping them down before midday this am. How come everyone else gets away with it for weeks?

“Don’t have time to follow him round to get them back for use this weekend. So £s wasted. Great, like this gig isn’t hard enough at the moment.”

The events industry has been hit hard during the pandemic. Large events are only just beginning to go ahead as lockdown restrictions ease.

Ms Canavar said last month it was nerve wracking making decisions on events due to the uncertainty of the roadmap out of lockdown.

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The county council said it supported local events, especially after the pandemic, but road safety was paramount.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said:

“Banners attached to barriers or fencing beside the highway can create a safety hazard. At such locations, banners can distract drivers and other road users or obstruct visibility.

“We assess the risks before taking action to remove such banners, and high-risk areas such as those mentioned are prioritised.

“If event organisers contact the highways office, we will always be happy to advise them.”