Kirkcudbright Crime Writing

September 6 2026

The closing event of this year’s Kirkcudbright Fringe festival promises to be a challenging and thought-provoking one, shining a light on one of Scotland’s darkest histories –those accused of the ‘crime’ of witchcraft.

Claire Mitchell KC and Zoe Venditozzi, co-authors of How to Kill a Witch: A Guide for the Patriarchy, uncover the harrowing truth of Scotland’s past. They examine how misogyny, fear, and systems of power shaped the persecutions, whilst ‘reclaiming the humanity and voices of those written out of history’

The event will be staged on Sunday 6th September at 7:00 PM at The Kirkcudbright Parish Church and tickets cost £12.

Ros Ollin and DJ McDowall will begin  the event by introducing a new initiative developed through Kirkcudbright Fringe, CatStrand and The Imaginarium to honour the life and last journey of Elspeth MacKewan, who was executed as a witch in Kirkcudbright in 1698.

Through contemporary voices, song, poetry, and acts of remembrance, the event explores how Scotland confronts the legacy of the witch trials, and how it can be done in Kirkcudbright.

The organisers of the Fringe say: “Bringing together different forms of storytelling, the event creates space not only to hear these histories but to honour and reflect upon them. This is more than a history lesson; it is part remembrance, part reckoning, and part a call to action.”

The event is staged in association with CatStrand and The Imaginarium

You can find out more, including how to book tickets, at https://kbtfringe.co.uk/