A beginner's guide to Hay Festival
Whether your scene is glorious countryside, blossom in the hedges and walking boots, or Pimms in the sunshine, bookshops galore and kitten heels, Hay Festival has you covered. Here are our top tips for getting the most out of the Festival...
Hay Festival for... families of all ages
A trip to the Festival makes a great family day out. Meet favourite authors and discover fresh ones, learn new skills in hands-on workshops and get creative in the crafting hub. Here are our top tips to have the perfect day.
- Early risers – the site opens from 9am, with some tasty breakfast options.
- Relax and play in our Family Garden.
- Visit the Make & Take Hub – crafting heaven for 3–11-year-olds.
- Learn a new skill in one of our workshops, from pizza-making to creative writing.
- Refresh yourself with a delicious Shepherd’s ice cream – made locally from sheeps’ milk.
- Experience an author event to hear new stories or learn jaw-dropping things.
- Visit the Festival Bookshop to discover exciting new books and get yours signed.
- Bring a picnic, or visit our Canteen with delicious food at child-friendly portions and prices.
Hay Festival for... book lovers
Whether you love fact or fiction, past or present, romance or reality, there’s plenty to keep you entertained. With authors and books across all genres, you’re sure to find both old favourites and many new ideas.
- Hear it here first – major new fiction releases and prize-winning authors.
- Step through the magnifying glass, with the latest true crime and crime fiction.
- Discover emerging voices, in conversation with established authors.
- Feed your curiosity with non-fiction writers on topics from inequality to neuroscience.
- Hear from winners of the International Booker Prize, Women’s Prize for Fiction, Climate Fiction Prize and Dylan Thomas Prize.
- Meet the authors and get your books signed at the Festival Bookshop.
- Sip a coffee in the gardens while you read your new purchases.
Hay Festival for... adventurers
Hay-on-Wye is nestled on the edge of the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park, and the Festival offers plenty of opportunities for those seeking adventure. Get out and explore the local area, or enjoy armchair adventures on site.
- Join a wayfaring walk or a visit to a local farm or historic site.
- Hear from the women who’ve summited Everest or the farmer fascinated by a remote island.
- Take part in the Sustainable Futures Lab workshop, exploring a positive future narrative.
- Hire a canoe and enjoy a blissful day paddling down the River Wye.
- Enjoy a Sports Day event, from cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent to rugby veteran Alix Popham.
- Try out a new activity in our free Sports Day workshops on Wednesday 28 May.
- Indulge in some of the yoga classes offered by our therapeutic partners on site.
Hay Festival for... open minds
We’re here for ground-breaking ideas and boundary-pushing debate. From establishment to counter-culture, we bring you the thinkers striving to articulate new ideas, outline possible futures and challenge the narrative.
- Explore the climate emergency from all angles in Hay Festival Green events.
- Bring your coffee to a daily News Review, with headline guests and Independent editors.
- Don’t miss challenging panel debates on zeitgeist topics from AI to reproductive rights.
- Hear from documentary-makers who are exposing the leading issues of today.
- Join outside-the-box thinkers to interrogate our assumptions.
- Hear some of your favourite BBC radio programmes and podcasts recorded live.
- Catch up on missed events, plus hundreds from past years, with Hay Festival Anytime.
Hay Festival for... pleasure seekers
A heady mix of music, comedy and performance keeps the party going into the night. Enjoy some street food from the Canteen, drinks from the Festival Bar, and settle in for an evening of top-class entertainment.
- Enjoy leading comedy from favourites including Jason Byrne, Katherine Ryan, Al Murray and Chris McCausland.
- Check out some of the most exciting up-and-coming comedians at Hay Festival Comedy Club.
- Don’t miss the roof-raising live music on offer, from big band jazz to British soul and funky house.
- Choose from French cabaret, Jane Austen-based theatrical improv, Wodehouse-based musical treats and genre-splitting storytelling.
- Hear celebrated speakers from the world of entertainment on topics from musicals to ballroom to women of a certain age.
- Sample artisan producers and see top chefs in action with our Matters of Taste series of tantalising tastings and food demos.
- Catch up with an eclectic selection of the best recent films in our MUBI Cinema.