Join us for the 3rd year of the exciting Ashland Mystery Fest! From innovative author panels, a mystery to solve around town and author meet and greets to a sleuth dinner with the authors and murder mystery dinners, join us for a fully immersive celebration. 

Schedule:

Thursday, October 16, 2025

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Ashland

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM: Torte Meets Paddington

The first of Paddington Test Kitchen events featuring Ellie Alexander and a recipe from her newest book, The Whisking Hour with an exclusive sneak peek into her upcoming book Laying Down the Latte.

Location: Paddington Station, 125 E. Main St.

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Ashland

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Afternoon Tea with Shakespeare's Ghosts

Begin a play with a phantom wandering the castle ramparts? How about have the ghosts of all the people you put to death visit you on the eve of battle? Shakespeare loved to thrill his audience with the appearance of apparitions – some friendly, some not! Cosey up in Carpenter Hall with some tea and treats from Lovejoy’s Tea room and share a hauntingly good time. This fun and interactive experience will have you exploring some of Shakespeare’s spirits and creating some ghost stories of your own!

Location: OSF Campus, Carpenter Hall, 44 S. Pioneer St

Get Tickets: Ticketing through OSF

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Craft a Mystery Cozy at The Websters

Join Emmeline Duncan and debut author Tish Bouvier and grab your Mystery Cozy Kits. Websters is creating a special cozy kit for you to knit or crochet throughout the festival weekend. Stop by drop-in sessions on Friday and Saturday, for support or just for informal social knitting and crocheting with other readers.

Stop by with your finished project (or tag us in a photo) by Sunday evening to be entered to win a raffle.

Location: The Websters, 11 N. Main St. on the Plaza

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve Cozy Mystery Kit

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Single reader meet up with Angela Sanders

Attending the Festival solo? Or just want to meet and connect with other readers? Join Angela Sanders for an informal meet-up. Make new friends and get insider tips on how to make the most of your weekend in Ashland.

Location: Hummingbird Heart, 88 N. Main St.

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Opening Reception Festival Kick off

Join us for the kick off welcome with libations and delicious appetizers. Meet and mingle with all the authors while jumping into this bookishly fun weekend! Includes one drink ticket and festival welcome.

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak Street

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Murder Mystery Dinner

Be in the center of the action as a mystery unfolds around you at the Winchester Inn.

Location: Alchemy, 35 S. Second Street

8:00 PM: Oregon Shakespeare Festival performances

Celebrate OSF's 90th season with their performances of Importance of Being Ernest, As you Like It, Quixote Nuevo, Shane and Julius Caesar and more!

Location: OSF, 15 S. Pioneer St.

Get Tickets: Ticketing through OSF

8:00 PM - 11:00 PM: Murder for Two

Everyone is a suspect in this hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist; one actor investigates, the other plays all of the suspects, and they BOTH play the piano! One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed… fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Officer Marcus Moscowicz jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills-But whodunit?

Location: Oregon Cabaret Theatre, 241 Hargardine Street

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Cabaret

Friday, October 17, 2025 

9:00AM - 10:00AM: Single reader meet up with Angela Sanders

Attending the Festival solo? Or just want to meet and connect with other readers? Join Angela Sanders for an informal meet-up. Make new friends and get insider tips on how to make the most of your weekend in Ashland.

Location: Bloomsbury Books, 290 E. Main Street

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

10:00AM - 11:30AM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Ashland

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

10:00AM - 11:00AM: Author Speed Dating Panel

Ready to discover your next favorite read? Join us for a literary speed date! Bring your best questions and put these authors in the hot seat for a whirlwind of quick chats, surprises, and a whole lot of fun. Don’t miss your chance to make a new bookish love match with authors Ellie Alexander, Gretchen Rue, Mia Manansala and Esme Addison.

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

11:00AM: Meet and Greet with Emmeline Duncan 

Meet Emmeline and sample recipes from her Ground Rules series.

Location: Paddington Station, 125 E. Main Street

Get Tickets:: Free - first come first serve

11:30AM - 12:30PM: Flash Fiction - Write a 150 word Mystery

Can you create a spine-tingling mini mystery with just 3 prompts and less than 100 words? Time to break out your quill pen and your cleverist plot twists with authors Hannah Dennison, Eryn Scott, and our debut authors Kara Loo, Jennifer Young, Tish Bouvier, and Adrian Andover . Stories will be displayed all weekend and prizes for crowd favorites.

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

11:30AM - 1:30PM: Lovejoy’s Tea Session One

Join Gigi Pandian and Ellen Byron for a decadent, multi-course Royal Tea Service while they share selected readings from their works.

Location: Lovejoy's, 96 N. Main St. Ste 201

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Lovejoy's

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM: Murder Mystery Hour Panel (Build a story live!)

Put on your deerstalker cap and grab your magnifying glass-it's time to craft a mystery with some of your favorite authors, Tamara Berry, Lee Hollis, Korina Moss and Hannah Dennison! No idea is too wild as we build a murder mystery live, and the final tale will be unveiled at Saturday’s sleuthing dinner. Come join the fun and help shape the mystery!

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

2:00PM - 3:30PM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Town

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

2:00PM - 3:00PM: Book Influencer Chat

Curious about what makes a cozy mystery a must-read? Join three top cozy book influencers, Courtny, Tiffany and Spencer as they share their favorite picks, what draws them to the genre, and how they’ve built their communities around cozy mysteries.

Location: Columbia Hotel, 262 E. Main Street

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Meet and Greet with Gigi Pandian

Meet Gigi and sample a recipe from her book “Alchemist of Riddle and Ruin”.

Location: Paddington Station, 125 E. Main Street

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Lovejoy's Tea Session Two

Join Esme Addison and Gretchen Rue for a delightful, afternoon tea service while they share selected readings from their works.

Location: Lovejoy's, 96 N. Main St. Ste 201

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Lovejoy's

3:30PM - 4:30PM: So You Want to Be An Author Panel?

Writing a mystery isn't for the faint of heart. Join our panel of seasoned mystery writers, Emmeline Duncan, Angela Sanders, Eryn Scott and Ellen Byron as they share unexpected lessons from their journeys and reveal tips and tricks they’ve learned along the way to navigate the ups and downs of the writing life.

Included in Event Registration Package 

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

4:00PM: Meet and Greet with Lee Hollis

Meet Lee and sample a cocktail and recipe from his Hayley Powell mystery series.

Location: Paddington Station, 125 E. Main Street

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

4:00PM - 6:00PM: Cheese, Wine, Love, and Murder - Pairings and Peril

What pairs better with love and murder than wine and cheese? Join us for a delectable tasting event where romance and mystery swirl together. Savor artisanal cheeses and local Rogue Valley wines as authors Korina Moss, Jennifer Young, and Kara Loo dish on the fine line between passion and peril. Guiding you through this mouthwatering experience is your host, Allison Victoria-Wolfe - winner of Worst Cooks in America and foodie extraordinaire.

Location: Ashland Springs Hotel, 212 E. Main Street

4:00PM - 5:00PM: Choose Your Own Adventure style event

Calling all young sleuths! This panel is just for you. You will help guide the plot, making decisions that lead to different clues and unexpected twists as you work together to crack a case.

Location: Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

4:30PM - 6:00PM: Group Author Pop Up

Join your favorite authors Tamara Berry, Eryn Scott. Gigi Pandian, Gretchen Rue, Mia Manansala and Esme Addison for a fun meet and greet.

Location: Resistance Wine Company, 322 N. Pioneer St.

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

6:00PM - 9:00PM: Murder Mystery Dinner

Be in the center of the action as a mystery unfolds around you at the Winchester Inn.

Location: Alchemy, 35 S. Second Street

8:00PM: Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Celebrate OSF's 90th season with their performances of Importance of Being Ernest, As you LIke It, Quixote Nuevo, Shane and Julius Caeser and more!

Location: OSF, 15 S. Pioneer St.

Get Tickets: Ticketing through OSF

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Murder for Two

Everyone is a suspect in this hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist; one actor investigates, the other plays all of the suspects, and they BOTH play the piano! One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed… fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Officer Marcus Moscowicz jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills-But whodunit?

Location: Oregon Cabaret Theatre, 241 Hargadine Street

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Cabaret

Saturday, October 18, 2025 

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Plot Twist Showdown Panel

A battle of the plot twists, where authors Ellen Byron, Lee Hollis, Gigi Pandian and Korina Moss pitch their wildest plot twists, and you choose which twist is the most surprising and believable.

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Town

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

11:00 AM: Meet and Greet with Angela Sanders

Meet Angela and sample a recipe inspired by her “Witch Way” mystery series.

Location: Paddington Station, 125 E Main St.

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM: Mystery Cooking Class One

In this interactive cooking demo, Mia Manansala will whip up a mouthwatering dish straight from the pages of her mysteries. She’ll share the inspiration behind her recipes and how food fuels her fiction. Stick around for a taste of the final creation. Come hungry for food, stories, and a behind-the-scenes look at blending culinary craft with cozy crime.

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

11:00 PM - 12:00 PM: Solve it panel

A live, audience-participation mystery game where authors Emmeline Duncan, Ellie Alexander, Tamara Berry and Tina Connolly set the stage with a quirky crime scenario, while you work together to solve the crime.

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lovejoy’s Tea Session Three

Join your favorite authors Lee Hollis and Hannah Dennison for a relaxing Country House tea service while they share selected readings from their works.

Location: Lovejoy's Tea Room, 96 N. Main St. Ste 201

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Lovejoy's

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Murder for Two

Everyone is a suspect in this hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist; one actor investigates, the other plays all of the suspects, and they BOTH play the piano! One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed… fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Officer Marcus Moscowicz jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills-But whodunit?

Location: Oregon Cabaret Theatre, 241 Hargadine Street

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Cabaret

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM: Season of the Witch Panel

It's the season of the witch. Come cast a spell with these witchy mystery authors Gretchen Rue, Angela Sanders and Esme Addison as they spill their secrets on how to craft page-turning plots and perhaps a spell or two at the hauntingly beautiful Peerless Hotel.

Location: Peerless Hotel, 243 4th St

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

1:30PM: Meet and Greet with Ellen Byron

Meet Ellen and sample a recipe from her vintage cookbook mystery series.

Location: Paddington Station, 125 E Main St.

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

1:30PM - 2:30PM: Writing Across the Ages Panel geared toward adults

"Writing Through the Ages" panel dives into crafting mysteries for every age group. Join authors Tina Connolly, Mia Manansala and Jennie Englund as they discuss the unique challenges and joys of writing young mysteries, from YA to middle grade, and everything in between.

Location: Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

2:00PM - 3:30PM: Mystery Cooking Class Two

In this interactive cooking demo, Ellie Alexander will whip up a mouthwatering dish straight from the pages of her mysteries. She’ll share the inspiration behind her recipes and how food fuels her fiction. Stick around for a taste of the final creation. Come hungry for food, stories, and a behind-the-scenes look at blending culinary craft with cozy crime.

Location: Ashland Food Co-op Classroom, 237 N. 1st Street

Get Tickets: Sold Out

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Town

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

3:00PM - 4:00PM: Behind the Scenes Publishing Panel

Ever wondered what happens behind the pages of your favorite book? Join our panel of authors and industry insiders as they pull back the curtain on the publishing process, sharing secrets, challenges, and the unexpected twists that come with bringing a mystery from manuscript to market. Join authors Esme Addison, Eryn Scott, Gigi Pandian and Gretchen Rue to find out!

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: The Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

3:30 PM: Dark Hollow and Debuts Event

Join us for an afternoon of wine tasting with our friends at Dark Hollow Farms, snacks from the Paddington Test Kitchen and Meet & Greet with this year's debut authors! 3 of the previous debut author's will be having a reunion gathering as well!

Location: Paddington Jewel Box/Inspired by Oregon, 142 E. Main St.

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

3:30PM - 5:00PM: Group Author Crafternoon

A fan favorite, bring your own craft and enjoy time with your favorite authors Ellen Byron, Emmeline Duncan, Angela Sanders, Hannah Dennison, Lee Hollis and Korina Moss while enjoying some fun company.

Location: Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd

Get Tickets: Free - first come first serve

6:00PM - 9:00PM: Murder Mystery Dinner Alchemy

Be in the center of the action as a mystery unfolds around you at the Winchester Inn.

Location: Alchemy, 35 S. Second Street

7:00 PM: Louise Penny’s STILL LIFE Radio Play

STILL LIFE, the first novel in Louise Penny’s best-selling Inspector Gamache series, has been adapted into a radio play, which will be staged by the Southern Oregon University School of Arts and Humanities. Proceeds benefit Southern Oregon PBS.

Location: Meese Auditorium, SOU Art Building, Ashland, 1280 Siskiyou Blvd.

Get Tickets: Call (541) 779-0808 to reserve free tickets. Donations are encouraged. Click here to donate to SO PBS

7:00PM - 9:00PM: Sleuth Dinner Ashland Springs Hotel

Put on your trench coats, don your deerstalkers, or channel your inner amateur sleuth-this is one mystery dinner you won’t want to miss. Join us for an unforgettable evening at the historic Ashland Springs Hotel. Come dressed as your favorite detective for a three-course meal. Each table will be hosted by a mystery author ready to dish on clues, red herrings, and the craft of crime fiction. The evening culminates in a special group reading of an original whodunit written collaboratively by our featured authors and you!

Location: Ashland Springs Hotel, 212 E. Main Street

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Ashland Springs Hotel

8:00 PM: Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Celebrate OSF's 90th season with their performances of Importance of Being Ernest, As you Like It, Quixote Nuevo, Shane and Julius Caesar and more!

Location: OSF, 15 S. Pioneer St.

Get Tickets: Ticketing through OSF

8:00PM - 11:00PM: Murder for Two

Everyone is a suspect in this hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist; one actor investigates, the other plays all of the suspects, and they BOTH play the piano! One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed… fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Officer Marcus Moscowicz jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills-But whodunit?

Location: Oregon Cabaret Theatre, 241 Hargadine Street

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Cabaret

Sunday, October 19, 2025 

9:00AM - 11:00AM: Farewell Breakfast Reception

Join us for the Farewell festival reception with a continental breakfast and beverages, farewell from authors, and Grand Prize winners announced from solving the Interactive Mystery around town.

Included in Event Registration Package

Location: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.

Get Tickets: Official Registration Package Tickets

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM: Haunted Ashland Walking Tour

Join your guide Peter Finkle, creator of dozens of Ashland walking tours, and founder of the premier website about Ashland: WalkAshland.com as you learn about haunted Ashland houses, hotels and restaurants, plus ghost encounters at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. New stories added since last year's tour. These are not just old stories from books. Most are first-hand experiences learned from the people who encountered the spirits. Many historic photos are included.

Location: Around Town

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Walk Ashland

1:00 PM: Louise Penny’s STILL LIFE Radio Play

STILL LIFE, the first novel in Louise Penny’s best-selling Inspector Gamache series, has been adapted into a radio play, which will be staged by the Southern Oregon University School of Arts and Humanities. Proceeds benefit Southern Oregon PBS. Admission is Donate what you can.

Location: Meese Auditorium, SOU Art Building, 1205 Siskiyou Blvd next to Schneider Museum

Get Tickets: Call (541) 779-0808 to reserve free tickets. Donations encouraged. Click here to donate to SO PBS.

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Murder for Two

Everyone is a suspect in this hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist; one actor investigates, the other plays all of the suspects, and they BOTH play the piano! One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed… fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Officer Marcus Moscowicz jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills-But whodunit?

Location: Oregon Cabaret Theatre, 241 Hargardine Street

Get Tickets: Ticketing through Oregon Cabaret

1:30 PM: Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Celebrate OSF's 90th season with their performances of Importance of Being Ernest, As you Like It, Quixote Nuevo, Shane and Julius Caesar and more!

Location: OSF, 15 S. Pioneer St.

Get Tickets: Ticketing through OSF 

Date: October 16-19, 2025

Location: Various Venues in Ashland, OR 97520

Click here for More Information