Bestselling authors to descend on Derby for a weekend of gothic terror as the UK Ghost Story Festival returns

The UK Ghost Story Festival, in partnership with Derby Museums, is excited to announce the return of the festival for its fifth year this February 2025. Running from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd February, the UK Ghost Story Festival returns with a jam-packed weekend of events at Derby’s Museum of Making. The weekender brings a host of well-known names to one of the UK’s most haunted cities for three days of atmospheric talks, workshops, interviews, panels, book sales and more, promising to be a must-visit event for all readers and writers of supernatural fiction.

Headline interview slots will feature Evelyn Hollow, presenter on the hit BBC radio and TV series Uncanny and author of ‘The Atlas of Paranormal Places’; Rosie Andrews, author of ‘The Leviathan’ and ‘The Puzzle Wood’; award-winning author Edward Parnell, known for ‘Ghostland’ and bestselling author Susan Stokes-Chapman whose debut novel ‘Pandora’ was an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.

A host of spine-tingling talks across the weekend come from speakers including Mark Norman, known for The Folklore Podcast presenting his new book ‘Zoinks! The Spooky Folklore Behind Scooby Doo’ which delves into the real-world folklore that influenced the portrayals of ghosts, witches and monsters in the much-loved TV show. Dr Sam Hirst from the University of Sheffield will examine how eighteenth-century collections of supposedly true supernatural encounters shaped the Gothic genre as we know it today. Witchcraft specialist Willow Winsham will explore the fear of witches throughout history and how the concept of ‘spectral evidence’ sentenced many supposed witches to death in the witch trials, whilst historian and author Tracey Norman will explore some fascinating seventeenth century remedies that tread the line between medicine and witchcraft.

A host of pre-bookable workshops from some of the UK’s best writing talent in the ghostly and Gothic will be available over the three days. Authors and workshop leaders appearing include Charlotte Bond, Rod Duncan, Robert Edgar, Peter Haynes, Elizabeth Lee, Teika Marija Smits, Megan Taylor and more. Workshops will cover topics ranging from short story writing and illustration to crafting witches in fiction and handling rejection. Whether beginner or seasoned storyteller, attendees should expect to leave inspired, with new writing techniques and a fresh spark of creativity.

For the first time, the UK Ghost Story Festival will unveil its very own anthology, ‘Spirit Seasons’, a chilling collection of ten spooky tales from festival speakers, along with an exclusive signing session.

Alex Davis, UK Ghost Story Festival Co-ordinator, said:

“It’s a pleasure to be able to bring the Festival back for a fifth time to one of the UK’s most haunted cities, and the line-up for the event looks as good as ever! I can’t wait to get stuck into proceedings, with so much activity taking place over the weekend.”

Dan Webber, Events Programmer at Derby Museums, said:

“Many people consider Derby to be one of the most haunted cities in the country, so it feels only right that we welcome the UK Ghost Story Festival back to the city once again for this year’s event at the Museum of Making. 2025 also marks the 101st anniversary of the first stage performance of Dracula, right here in Derby, and the UK Ghost Story Festival provides another fantastic reason for fans of horror and the supernatural to visit Derby Museums and our ghostly city.”

The UK Ghost Story Festival runs from 21st to 23rd February at the Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill. Full weekend passes are available to book at the discounted price of £75, with Saturday passes and tickets for individual events also available. For more information, and to book tickets, visit: https://www.ukghoststoryfestival.co.uk/.