Once upon a time, namely in 1936 a Mr A T Akeroyd founded the Festival as the Harrogate Competitive Music Festival. He was its first Honorary Secretary and Musical Director. He was at that time organist and choirmaster at St Mark's Church, Harrogate and a busy teacher of music.

The first list of patrons contained the names of two Bishops, seven Baronets and their ladies, the MP for Ripon and other people of considerable influence in the district.

The Committee was a strong one of nine members with the Rural Dean, Canon Bartlett, in the chair and there were nine sub-committees plus three co-opted members representing three Operatic Societies. The subscribers numbered seventy-eight, seven of whom donated trophies. Sir Ernest Bain presented a minor scholarship for pianists to the value of ten guineas, competitors to be between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, to be British and live locally. The first winner was Miss Margaret Plummer, later to become a Professor at the Royal College of Music, an Examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and an Adjudicator. She adjudicated in Harrogate in 1970.

For the inaugural Festival the dates were 15th, 16th and 17th October, classes being in the Royal Hall and adjacent Spa Rooms. They included some especially for Guides and Scouts, for organ in St Paul's Presbyterian Church and one was for Fireside Music "with any accompaniment (even Tin Whistle) an air of informality and jollity must be conveyed!" The Festival flourished for three years but did not take place in 1939 or during the Second World War. In 1947 a New Committee was created under which Harrogate Borough Council ran the event until 1980.

Illustrating the value of competitive festivals in encouraging young musicians and laying a foundation for their careers in music, one finds such names among the competitors as Dame Janet Baker, Michael Roll, Alan Schiller, Maureen Smith and Barbara Elsey

From 1948 to 1961 the Festival was held on three consecutive days during the first week of March but then the schools became increasingly reluctant to release the children mid-week, so a change was made to use the first two weekends in March. The first three weekends in March are now used.

In 1980 a new Committee was created to run the event without Council administrative assistance and has run the event ever since with financial assistance from Harrogate Borough Council, first in the Royal Baths and latterly at St John Fisher Roman Catholic School.

A Constitution was adopted confirming the Festival as an educational organisation with registration as a Charity.

Since 1980 many new classes have been introduced, e.g. Unaccompanied Bach for strings, classical guitar duets and ensembles, saxophone solo, brass solo instruments, piano and singing for over 60's, choral challenge class, barbershop quartets and choruses, hand bell ringing, group drama and public speaking.

The Young Musician of the Festival Competition began in 1981 as a climax to the Final Concert.