Total of 18,000 tickets sold for most successful Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate so far
If someone had asked the organisers of the year's Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate in advance what they wanted to mark the 21st anniversary of an event which puts the town on the map globally, sponsorship would have been high on the list.
So news over the weekend that legendary North Yorkshire brewers Theakston are to extend their sponsorship truly set the seal on the most successful edition yet of the world’s greatest crime writing festival held at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate .
At a challenging time for arts sponsorship in general, Sharon Canavar, chief executive of organisers Harrogate International Festival, said the new deal could not have come at a better time.
“Funding for the arts has never been more essential and we are hugely indebted to Simon Theakston and T&R Theakston Ltd for their unwavering support, " she said.
"We are absolutely delighted that they have chosen to extend their sponsorship for the festival and the coveted Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award."
More than 18,000 tickets were sold for this year’s festival, which ran from July 18-21, with crime fiction fans from across the UK, Europe, the US and beyond attending.
The setting at the Old Swan Hotel where Agatha Christie once found refuge is just perfect as always and quintessentially Harrogate - green lawns and desert sand marquees full of people talking, listening, drinking and buying in the hot and, occasionally, sunny weather.
Bestselling author Mark Billingham has been a fixture at the festival each summer, his own personality helping to set a tone that mixes the fun with the thought-provoking and enlightening.
From the very first year in 2003, there has been very little 'us' and 'them' at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
"Writers don't come here to act like stars," the always approachable Mark Billingham tells the Harrogate Advertiser.
"And, if they do, they don't last long!
"There's a community among crime writers, no matter what kind of crime fiction they write.
"I love writing but it's almost just an excuse to come to events like this and meet people.
"That's what I enjoy. That’s what it's about."
Not that the festival is lacking in celebrity.
Floating around among the mingle of fans overlooking the historic buildings of Crescent Gardens are the likes of Richard Osman, Lynda La Plante, Julian Clary, Steph McGovern, Vaseem Khan, Val McDermid and this year's programming chair Ruth Ware.
The queues build up in the pop-up book shop in the Old Swan as fans wait to have their copies signed by a writer full of dark glamour, Chris Carter, the man in black who looks as much like a hard rock musician as an internationally bestselling author which is because that is what he is, partly.
Over the past two remarkable decades, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has firmly established itself as a world class event attracting internationally best-selling authors such as Val McDermid, Denise Mina, S. A. Cosby, P D James, Lee Child, John Grisham, Michael Connolly, Ian Rankin and Harlan Coben.
Perhaps only an exclusive appearance by JK Rowling in 2014 threatened to break the relaxed atmosphere and down-to-earth spell cast by the largest and most prestigious celebration of crime fiction on the planet held right here in Harrogate.
The special nature of a festival made in Harrogate but now world-famous is reflected in the 20- year partnership between Yorkshire-based arts charity Harrogate International Festivals and T&R Theakston Limited, an independent brewing company based at Masham.
Now more than ever, it's a relationship which pays off for all sides.
Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said: “This unique partnership is incredibly special and we are delighted to extend our support of the world’s best crime writing festival.
"Our collaboration with Harrogate International Festivals has helped put the local area on the global map and enabled us to bring world class culture to a diverse audience, both young and old. "