From Sauna Theatre To Street Stories: Harrogate Literature Festival Goes Beyond The Book
Hemingway performed in a sauna. Stories written to order on the streets of Harrogate. And a rave where the only sound is the turning of pages.
Street typist Adam E Holdon
Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival is taking storytelling beyond the traditional author talk this October, with a series of events that put books and stories into some decidedly unexpected places.
Alongside bestselling authors, broadcasters and some of the biggest names in this year’s programme, the Festival is continuing Harrogate International Festivals’ long tradition of experimenting with how audiences encounter art, whether that means plunging into Hemingway in a panoramic sauna, commissioning a story from a typewriter on the street or switching off the digital noise to read together in companionable silence.
This year’s Festival, which runs from 11-25 October, is turning the heat up with a unique retelling of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
This classic tale follows Santiago, an ageing Cuban fisherman whose epic battle with a giant marlin becomes a powerful story of courage, endurance and the relationship between man and nature.
At Rudding Park Spa (14 Oct), the story takes on a whole new dimension through the growing art of Aufguss, an immersive form of sauna theatre combining heat, scent, music and performance.
This one-hour experience begins with an introduction to the history of Aufguss and its rising popularity in the UK, before Rudding Park’s resident Aufguss expert, Jena, transports guests into the world of The Old Man and the Sea with a captivating performance in the panoramic sauna, followed by a guided cool-down in the ice baths.
No less intriguing is street typist Adam E Holdon, who will be bringing his unique storytelling skills to Harrogate during the Festival (17-18 Oct).
Complete with clacking typewriter, Adam will be setting up in spaces around town where people can give him three words and a name and he will create a personalised story for them on the spot.
There is nothing like a bit of downtime with a good book, and Raworths Reading Rave (25 Oct) offers the chance to turn off the digital noise and do just that.
This free event at The Crown Hotel is a chance to enjoy an hour of uninterrupted reading in companionable silence – this is the non-book-clubber’s answer to a shared reading experience.
Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:
“HIF has always had a slightly rebellious streak when it comes to where and how we present great art. These events are playful, a little unexpected, and hopefully make people curious enough to try something they might never normally book.”
Aufguss Sauna Theatre, The Old Man & The Sea, Rudding Park Spa, Rudding Lane, Follifoot, Harrogate. Wednesday, Oct 14. Shows at 4pm and 6.30pm. Tickets £20. To book tickets email: spatreatmentrec@ruddingpark.com
Found Out There, Street Typist, Saturday, 17 Oct – Sunday, 18 October 2026. Various locations. All day – free.
Raworths Reading Rave, The Crown Hotel, Harrogate, Sunday 25 October, 9:30am. Tickets are free. To book log on to Raworths Reading Rave | Harrogate International Festivals
