Event will be held at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile.
Check-in begins at 8:30 am.
Doors open at 9:00 am and the official festival ends at 5pm.
For those interested, we are finalizing details of a social event to be held that evening.
Please note the times of the scheduled events below are still being confirmed; we will update you prior to the event.
This schedule is subject to change.

1. Meet and Greet

The True Crime Podcast Festival will be a chill and relaxed atmosphere that encourages mingling and talking with with your favourite podcasters—as well as many others you should be listening to!

In between panel and live episode recordings, podcasters will be available in the main hall.

2. Panel Discussions

Case selection: a discussion on the cases we chose and the ones we didn’t

HOST:
Charlie Worroll from Crimelines, Impact Statement, and formerly of In Sight

PANELISTS:
Jillian LP from Court Junkie
Colleen from Misconduct
Javier Leiva from Pretend Radio

Unfortunately, true crime podcasters are not starved for choice when it comes to subject matter, and case selection ends up being an important part of a show’s development. In this panel, the hosts will discuss their processes for choosing cases, including what factors are commonly taken into consideration, what cases they have rejected, and more. Get a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of true crime podcast development.

The line of ethics in amateur investigations as podcasters

HOST:
Patrick Hinds from True Crime Obsessed

PANELISTS:
Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna from Missing Maura Murray, Crawlspace and Empty Frames
Laurah Norton from The Fall Line
Ottavia Zappala and Sarah Turney (sister of Alissa) from Missing Alissa (Disappearance of Alissa Turney)

Interest in true crime as an entertainment product has surged in recent years, with exponential growth of new content on both audio and visual mediums. When covering or investigating a crime, what ethical considerations do podcasters need to take into consideration, and where is the line drawn?

3. Live Episodes

Canadian Crime Crossover

HOSTS:

Robin Warder from The Trail Went Cold
Kristi Lee from Canadian True Crime

The nicest guy in true crime podcasting, Robin, teams up with Aussie-turned-Canadian, Kristi, to present a Canadian case.

Crime Writers On: Live!

HOSTS:

Rebecca Lavoie
Kevin Flynn
Laura Bricker
Toby Ball
from Crime Writers On

Crime Writers On is the original true crime review show. The panel digs into podcasts, documentaries, and pop culture to tell you what’s good and what you should skip. Rebecca, Kevin, Lara, and Toby bring their backgrounds as reporters, authors, and private eyes to inform their opinions on today’s hottest crime stories.

Chicago Mystery Case Discussion

HOSTS:

Lars Hacking from Rusty Hinges
Charlie Worroll from Crimelines, Impact Statement, and formerly of In Sight

Join Lars and Charlie as they discuss a historic Illinois case – the Chicago Tylenol murders – with all the wit they can manage… which isn’t a tall order.

The Case of Mary Kay Letourneau