Harrogate International Festivals: 2019 Cultural Highlights
Over 50 years Harrogate International Festivals has become one of the North’s leading arts charities; its offer is diverse, with key strands in music and literature.
Harrogate has a powerful reputation for bringing world-class musicians to the boutique spa town. It also put Harrogate on the literary map, with two major book festivals.
Kindly see below key festival events for 2019.
Harrogate International Festivals Presents…
2019 Sunday Series
13 January – 7 April
The Swan Hotel, Harrogate
Now in its 26th year, the Sunday Series has built an astounding legacy for bringing the finest classical musical talent from around the world to Harrogate.
The series presents the internationally renowned pianist Louis Schwizgebel, trombonist Peter Moore, the charismatic Ruisi Quartet, and a powerhouse duo with violinist Jennifer Pike, performing with one of the UK’s best loved pianists, Martin Roscoe. Bringing the series to a close is pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, hailed by The Telegraph as ‘one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century’.
All concerts will be performed on Sundays at 11am at the Old Swan Hotel.
Berwins Salon North
24 January: What Matters Most / 28 February: What Makes You Who You Are?
The Crown Hotel, Harrogate
Berwins Salon North is a cabaret-style night of the most stimulating TED-style talks designed to change your life for the better. One of Harrogate’s hottest nights out, the Salon was voted no. six in the ‘Top 100 Things to do in the World’ by GQ magazine.
‘What Matters Most’ features academic, Roger Hampson, on how the smart-machines revolution is re-shaping our lives and our societies, author Kate Leaver on her book The Friendship Cure and Mark Miodownik MBE, the NYT Bestselling author of Stuff Matters.
‘What Makes You Who You Are’ welcomes Professor Gina Rippon on her new book The Gendered Brain, Dr Merve Emre tackles the strange world of personality testing, with What’s Your Type? And Oren Harman talks 15 Myths That Explain Our World.
The 2019 series continues in April/ June/ Sept/ Nov – speakers to be announced.
2019 Harrogate Music Festival
In venues across Harrogate, throughout July
Get ready for The Power of Live as iconic venues across the beautiful and cosmopolitan town light up with music. Harrogate retains its old-fashioned Yorkshire charm, offering a boutique festival setting like no other.
Delivering world-class acts in the spa town for over 50 years, Harrogate International Festivals promises the best in classical, chamber, orchestral, choral, contemporary jazz and folk, alongside outdoor theatre and free family days out, including the popular ‘1940s Day’ hosted in the glorious Valley Gardens. Harrogate continues its legacy of supporting the careers of emerging classical artists with its dedicated Young Musician Series.
Full line-up announced in the spring.
2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
18-21 July at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate
Harrogate is known for its restorative spa, tranquil gardens and quaint tea shops. You’ll need them. Cordon off the flower beds and steady the nerves with a pint of Theakston’s finest ale. The body count is set to soar with Europe’s biggest celebration of crime fiction featuring over 90 best-selling UK and international crime authors.
Hosted at Agatha Christie’s old haunt, the opening night features the crime writing equivalent of The Oscars - the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. The Festival is also famed as a platform for upcoming authors, featuring Val McDermid’s ‘New Blood’.
2019's Programming Chair is author Mari Hannah. Special Guests announced to date include James Patterson, Jo Nesbo, MC Beaton, Stuart MacBride, Harlan Coben and Ian Rankin.
Full line-up announced in the spring.
2019 Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival
17-20 October, the Crown Hotel, Harrogate
Hosted over four days, the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, was picked by Harper’s Bazaar as ‘one of the UK’s best literary festivals’.
The Festival has cemented the Spa town as a book lover’s destination. The Independent claimed 2018 saw a case to be made for Harrogate to “rightfully wear the crown of the country’s bookiest location”. Now in its 7th year, the genteel North Yorkshire spa town puts major literary authors on the menu, along with afternoon tea and a pint of ale.
2019 promises a stellar line-up of household names as best-selling authors, influential politicians, journalists and stars of the stage and screen descend.
Line-up to be announced in the summer.
Go to harrogateinternationalfestivals.com for news and announcements. Box Office: 01423 562 303. For media information, interview requests and images, please contact [email protected] T: 07534 892715.