Home / Arts and Entertainment / Sheffield Hosts World's Biggest Podcast Fest
Sheffield Hosts World's Biggest Podcast Fest
2 Jul
Summary
- Festival runs July 2-5, featuring prominent presenters.
- Last year attracted 25,000 attendees, boosting local economy.
- International visitors traveled from Canada, Japan, and Brazil.
Crossed Wires, hailed as the "world's biggest podcasting party," has returned to Sheffield for its third year. The festival is scheduled to take place from July 2 to July 5, featuring notable presenters such as Alice Levine, Paul Whitehouse, and Zoe Ball.
Founded in 2023 by Alice Levine, James O'Hara, and Dino Sofos, the event aims to bring the global podcasting community together. Sofos highlighted the festival's international appeal, noting that 25,000 people attended last year, with 10,000 coming from outside South Yorkshire and others traveling from countries like Canada, Japan, Brazil, and the USA.
The festival provides a significant economic boost to the region, having generated £1 million for South Yorkshire in a single weekend last year. Various popular podcasts, including "Bad Chat," "British Scandal," and "The Elis & John Show," will be featured across multiple venues. BBC Sounds is sponsoring the free Fringe schedule, with stages at Cole Brothers and The Montgomery hosting a variety of shows, including local BBC Radio Sheffield programs.
While Sheffield is considered the permanent home for Crossed Wires, Sofos expressed a desire to see similar events launch internationally in the future. The festival has received £325,000 in support from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority over its first three years.
