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The Sheffield culture guide written by in-the-know locals

Sheffield's Crossed Wires Festival brings some of the UK's top names in podcasting from your headphones to the stage for one weekend.

The festival returns for its third – and biggest – year in July 2026.

Expect another incredible lineup of live podcast recordings across comedy, current affairs, culture and more, at venues including Sheffield City Hall and the Crucible. Plus food pop-ups, after parties and fringe events.

Led by creative director Greg James, the programme for Crossed Wires 2026 includes:

  • British Scandal
  • The Blindboy Podcast
  • Get A Grip with Angela Scanlon & Vicky Pattison
  • Uncanny Cold Cases
  • Bad Chat with Alice Levine and Greg James (+ friends)
  • The Elis and John Show
  • Psychology of your 20s
  • That Boxing Show with Johnny Nelson and Andy Nicholson
  • Bold Politics with Zack Polanski
  • The Screen Rot Podcast
  • If I Speak with Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian McLean
  • All My Friends Indie Disco after party

Already sold out are:

  • Dig It with Jo Whiley & Zoe Ball
  • How to Fail with Elizabeth Day
  • Sara & Cariad's Weirdos Book Club
  • Northern News with Amy Gledhill and Ian Smith
  • Nick Cope's Family Show
  • Story Shed
  • Fun Kids Science Weekly
  • I'm ADHD No You're Not

The BBC Sounds stage will bring the BBC’s signature storytelling and household names to the old Cole Brothers building, for free. And new for 2026, BBC Radio 4 will take over the Montgomery.

If I Speak with Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian McLean

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Festival of Debate

Get informed, inspired and filled with ideas for positive change. With talks on big social, political, environmental and economic issues. The festival is taking a break in 2026 – come back for details of the 2027 event.

Sheffield General Cemetery History Tour

Multiple dates

Sheffield General Cemetery

Ever wondered who helped shape Sheffield into the city it is today? Step back in time with us on a guided tour of Sheffield General Cemetery, a beautifully preserved Grade II* registered Park and Garden with over 190 years of history.

Richard Ayoade: Afterthoughts

Sun. 18 October 2026

Sheffield City Hall

Join BAFTA-winning actor, comedian, director, and writer Richard Ayoade for an evening of reflections as he shares insights from his latest book, Afterthoughts, or Some Pistachios Won't Open: Wisdom for the Unreflective.

Trauma Or, Monsters All [+ Larry Fessenden Q&A]

Sun. 25 October 2026

Showroom

A writer investigating her town's dark past for a newspaper article stirs up fears about lurking monsters in director Larry Fessenden’s concluding chapter of his monster quadrilogy. Followed by an extended Q&A.