Three days of talks, interviews, workshops and walking tours on ghost stories and the Gothic in Derby, hosted by Alex Davis.
The UK Ghost Story Festival takes over Derby QUAD & Cinema from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 February 2027, turning the city into a three-day hub for ghost stories and the Gothic. Derby is often billed as one of the UK's most haunted cities, and the festival leans into that, drawing on local ghosts, legends and folklore for its programme of talks, interviews and workshops.
The sessions cover a wide stretch of ground. There's the practical side of writing ghost stories, the eco-Gothic, horror in videogames and queer desire through the ghost story, so it works whether you're a writer, a reader or just a fan of the Gothic and horror. Between the talks, there are 90-minute 'Derby Uncovered' walking tours that take you out into the city to see the hauntings first-hand. The whole thing is coordinated and hosted by Alex Davis.
If you want to do the lot, a full festival pass costs £80 and gives you access to all the films and events. There's one detail to keep in mind: passholders have to book each event individually at no extra cost by logging into the QUAD website with the email used to buy the pass, so you'll need to pick your sessions rather than just turning up.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Derby and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
It runs across three days: Friday 11:30am to 8pm, Saturday 10:30am to 8pm, and Sunday 10:30am to 2:30pm. The venue is Derby QUAD & Cinema, Market Place, Cathedral Quarter, Derby DE1 3AS.
