Hay Festival Winter Weekend 2024

Glyn Edwards

In Orbit

Saturday 30 November 2024, 7pm– Poetry Bookshop

Glyn Edwards recites from and discusses his collection In Orbit, which examines grief, loss and toxic standards for boys and men. Narrated by a man who receives news of a beloved teacher’s death, In Orbit covers the man’s past, present and future, all of which seem to be punctuated by the same intense grief. Edwards’ collection is a deeply moving account of losing a person you love, but not shying away from remembering them.

Edwards works as a teacher in North Wales and is a PhD researcher in ecopoetry at Bangor University, considering the role of poetry as activism in the wake of the Anthropocene. He is a contributing editor for Modron, a journal for environmental writing, and the Wild Words feature for North Wales Wildlife Trust. He is a former winner of Wales’ Teacher of the Year, and has created educational resources for the Welsh Government, the WJEC and Poetry Wales. In Orbit won the People’s Choice Award at the Wales Book of the Year 2024 Awards Ceremony, run by Literature Wales.

In association with Visit Seattle

Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves) and Nancy Moir talk to John Mitchinson

More Birds: Paintings of Birds

Saturday 30 November 2024, 8.30pm– Castle Marquee

Spend a raucous night out in the company of Jim and Nancy Moir, as they share their weird and wonderful adventures of tracking down birds so Jim can paint them. Under the name Vic Reeves, Jim is one of the UK’s best known and most successful comedians. But since leaving behind the comedy persona that made his name, Moir has spent his time focusing on a passion from childhood: birds, and creating beautiful paintings of them. Moir shares his excitement about painting birds with his wife Nancy, and the pair’s hit television show Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy Moir is about to be commissioned for its third series. Join the couple for this exclusive event as they give an insight into their adventures tracking down and painting birds of all kinds and tell stories about the lives of our feathered friends. Moir and Nancy speak to publisher John Mitchinson of Unbound, which has published Moir’s paintings in the books Birds and More Birds.

Moir is most famous for his work as Vic Reeves alongside Bob Mortimer, with TV shows including Vic Reeves Big Night Out, The Smell of Reeves & Mortimer, and the comedy quiz show Shooting Stars. He is also a successful artist and he exhibits regularly around the world.

Nancy is an actress and television presenter, best known for her roles in Love Actually, Catterick and Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy.

Sponsored by Radnorshire Wildlife Trust / Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Maesyfed

Maxim Calver

Cello Concert

Saturday 30 November 2024, 8.30pm - 9.30pm– St Mary’s Church

Cellist Maxim Calver first gained public recognition as a BBC Young Musician 2018 Grand Finalist and Strings Category winner, where he made his concerto debut with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Since the competition he has been in high demand as a soloist across the UK and Europe.

Hear him play a programme that includes Bach’s much-loved Cello Suite No.1 in G major, Gaspar Cassadó’s 1926 Suite for solo cello, which combines traditional Spanish dance rhythms with elegant, fluid melodic passages reminiscent of French style, and a rare performance of George Crumb’s Sonata for Solo Cello from 1955.

In association with Hay Music

Danny Robins

Ghost stories: Into the Uncanny

Saturday 30 November 2024, 10pm– St Mary’s Church

Be brave, be bold, and join Danny Robins as he leads you on his real-life investigation into the paranormal. Prepare to be chilled to the bone as Robins recounts modern-day ghost stories, all of which are entirely true… No ghost hunting experience required, but an open mind is a must. Robins is an award-winning British writer, broadcaster and journalist. He created the hit BBC podcasts The Battersea Poltergeist, Uncanny and The Witch Farm, and the Olivier Award-nominated West End play 2:22 - A Ghost Story, which is now playing in countries around the world. The hit TV show of Uncanny was broadcast in October 2023, and has been recommissioned for a second series. In his new book Into the Uncanny, Robins uncovers the truth behind modern-day ghost sightings and explores the power of paranormal experiences.

Director's Breakfast Tour of Hay Castle

Tour and Continental Breakfast with Tom True

Sunday 1 December 2024, 9am – 10am– Hay Castle

Battles, borders, books and breakfast! Come and explore Hay Castle with its director Tom True, who will give an introduction to the history and invite you to get to know some of the characters from the castle’s past. He’ll also talk about running Hay Castle for the past two years.

David Olusoga and Hay Festival Guests

News Review of the Year

Sunday 1 December 2024, 10am– Castle Marquee

Chew over the biggest news stories of 2024 with our review of the year and look ahead to 2025 in the perfect way to begin your Sunday at Hay Festival Winter Weekend. And there’s plenty to talk about: 2024 ushered in a new government in the UK and a new president in the US, saw continued devastation in war zones in Ukraine and Palestine, and featured countless discussions of the impact of AI on our lives. And those aren’t just issues for this year, they’re all set to affect how 2025 plays out, internationally and at home. As will a host of new bills going through government in 2025, which have the potential to change everything from renters’ rights and planning laws to the make-up of the House of Lords. Olusoga is a British-Nigerian author and presenter, and professor of public history at the University of Manchester. His books include the award-winning Black and British. His latest book is Black History for Every Day of the Year, written with his siblings, Yinka and Kemi.

Quentin Blake Exhibition & Hay Castle Entry Ticket

Sunday 1 December 2024, 10am – 8pm– Hay Castle

Legend has it that Hay Castle was built in a day by a giantess called Matilda who hurled a stone across the Wye at the end of construction. Find out about this story and more with this entry ticket that also allows you to visit the castle as many times as you like in the year afterwards. Explore Matilda’s room, the castle’s costumes and cellars, and the Richard Booth Archive, and make your way right to the top for the amazing views from the viewing platform.

This ticket also gives you entry into the Beasts, Battles & Books exhibition, a look at the work of one of Britain’s best-loved illustrators, Quentin Blake.

The Decis

Sunday 1 December 2024, 11.05am – 11.25am– Hay Castle grounds

Enjoy an open air performance by the Decis, an acapella women’s group from Hay and surrounding villages. Singing together since 2014, the Decis perform a variety of songs including blues, folk, early music, and anything else they fancy.

Morning Winter Walk

Guided Walk Through the Landscape of Hay-on-Wye

Sunday 1 December 2024, 11.15am – 12.45pm– Meet Outside Castle Coach House

Rangers from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park will lead a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye. Local experts will give their insights into this ancient town and treasured landscape. Please wear appropriate footwear and come prepared for the weather.

Russell Kane

Pet Selector!

Sunday 1 December 2024, 11.30am– Hay Castle - Clore Space

Pet-obsessed comedian, presenter and chart-topping podcast host Russell Kane presents a high-energy children’s comedy show about his favourite thing: ANIMALS!

Based on his hilarious new children's animal guide Pet Selector!, there will be jokes, props, pets and an animal-matching-game that answers important questions on family animal-care. Both funny and full of facts, Kane’s show will stretch kids’ imaginations. The idea for Pet Selector! was born out of a conversation with Kane’s daughters about animal-care and picking their next pet.

Kane is an award-winning comedian, presenter, podcast host, writer, author, animal-lover and multiple-pet-owner. As well as his sold-out comedy tours and frequent TV work, Kane’s BBC Sounds podcast Evil Genius has quickly become a flagship show. He published a novel as well as a memoir about his dad called Son of a Silverback.

Julia Gillard and Sarah Louisa Birchley

People and Place: Wales and the Welsh diaspora

Sunday 1 December 2024, 11.30am– Castle Marquee

The Welsh global diaspora is estimated to be more than three million people, spread all over the globe – a similar number to the population living within Wales - but why do people leave Wales and on what basis might they return? Julia Gillard, former Australian prime minister and Welsh emigrant, delves into the issue with Dr Sarah Louisa Birchley, a specialist in global diaspora entrepreneurship. They discuss the motivations behind Welsh migration and what measures could be taken to encourage people to remain and contribute to the future of Wales.

Sponsored by Dŵr Cymru and delivered in partnership with GlobalWelsh

Christmas Brass

Sunday 1 December 2024, 12.35pm – 12.55pm– Hay Castle grounds

Fire up your Christmas spirit with this drop in performance by Lyndon Eatough-Smith and Ben Newton Fryers. Eatough-Smith is a local music teacher and Newton Fryers is his former pupil. Together they are playing a range of venues over the Christmas period.

Shaparak Khorsandi and Jordan Stephens

Making Sense of the Chaos

Sunday 1 December 2024, 1pm– Castle Marquee

Join comedian Shaparak Khorsandi and musician Jordan Stephens for a humorous, life-affirming and honest conversation about self-discovery and taking care of yourself and your mental health. Khorsandi and Stephens discuss difficult topics with warmth and openness. The pair will discuss their memoirs, how fame affected their approach to mental health, and how they have fostered a healthier outlook by embracing both the negatives and positives in their lives. Khorsandi’s book Scatter Brain recounts how she was finally diagnosed with ADHD in her 40s, enabling her to look back on her life with a new lens and make sense of everything from her attraction to toxic men to her regular bouts of burnout. Khorsandi has become a fixture on our TV screens, making appearances on shows such as Mock The Week and Live at the Apollo.

Stephens found fame in his teens and 20s as one half of musical duo Rizzle Kicks, but with that came a pattern of self-harm, hedonism, destructive coping mechanisms and heartbreak. He tells his story in Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak & Dogs, which also looks at what it means to be a modern man, advocating for vulnerability and openness. Stephens’ mental health campaign #IAMWHOLE reached over 120 million people online and was mentioned in the Houses of Parliament.

Hay Community Choir

Sunday 1 December 2024, 2.05pm – 2.25pm– Hay Castle grounds

Singing is good for our mental health and this half-hour open air performance between events will make you feel like you’re part of a whole. Come along and have a listen as Hay Community Choir share their joy in music.

Afternoon Winter Walk

Guided Walk Through the Landscape of Hay-on-Wye

Sunday 1 December 2024, 2.15pm – 3.45pm– Meet Outside Castle Coach House

Rangers from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park will lead a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye. Local experts will give their insights into this ancient town and treasured landscape. Please wear appropriate footwear and come prepared for the weather.

Noel Fitzpatrick talks to Adam Rutherford

Dogs and Their Humans

Sunday 1 December 2024, 2.30pm– Castle Marquee

Spend a joyous and healing hour in the presence of vet Noel Fitzpatrick, as he shares stories of some of the extraordinary dogs he’s treated, and their connections with their humans.

In his latest book, Dogs and Their Humans: Stories of Healing and Hope from the Supervet’s Surgery, Professor Fitzpatrick marks the funny and uplifting, and occasionally heartbreaking, connection we have with our canine friends, and the hope that all those who visit him for help display.

Professor Fitzpatrick is a world-renowned neuro-orthopaedic veterinary surgeon. He is best known to the general public as the Supervet from the popular Channel 4 television series.

Globally recognised for his innovative surgical solutions for animals, Professor Fitzpatrick has developed dozens of new surgical techniques and implants, including world-firsts, that have provided hope where none seemed possible. He talks to scientist and broadcaster Adam Rutherford.

Sponsored by Gabbs Solicitors

Tom Bullough talks to Tom True

Writing and Rivers: Introducing Tarddle/Source

Sunday 1 December 2024, 2.30pm – 3.30pm– Hay Castle - Clore Space

Take a peek inside the mind of Hay Castle’s Storyteller in Residence, Tom Bullough, as he talks about his creative process and his innovative new project, Tarddle/Source. Bullough tells Hay Castle director Tom True about how life has changed since his book Sarn Helen won the 2024 Wales Book of the Year award and also introduces Tarddle/Source, an audio-visual project which follows the River Wye from the Wales-England border to its source in the Cambrian Mountains, recording the stories, hopes and concerns of the people of the Wye Valley. Bullough will screen extracts from the project and consider the role of story in addressing the climate and nature emergency.

Tarddle/Source will be hosted by Hay Castle from January 2025.

Rupert Everett talks to Natalie Haynes

The American No

Sunday 1 December 2024, 4pm– Castle Marquee

Be swept away by actor Rupert Everett’s first collection of short stories, which take readers from a chaotic and emotional funeral to Paris to an L.A. talent agency via a middle-aged Russian countess confronting sex and age in a Cotswold teashop. Everett speaks to author, comedian and classicist Natalie Haynes about The American No, discussing his inspirations and process, and diving into how the wealth of film and TV ideas he’s created over his career have fed into the collection.

Everett shot to fame with the film Another Country in 1984 and has been a hugely successful actor and writer for many years. His films include Napoleon, My Policeman, Adult Material, The Name of the Rose and Funny Woman. His stage work includes playing Oscar Wilde in David Hare’s The Judas Kiss, for which he won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play and was nominated for an Olivier Award. His first memoir, Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins, was a Sunday Times bestseller and its sequel, Vanished Years, won the Sheridan Morley Prize for Biography. His film of Oscar Wilde’s last years, The Happy Prince, was released in 2018 to widespread acclaim.

In association with Visit Seattle

Natalie Haynes talks to Helen Bagnall

Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth

Sunday 1 December 2024, 5.30pm– Castle Marquee

Festival favourite Natalie Haynes returns with a fresh dose of mythological musings. From Artemis to Aphrodite and Hera to Hestia, the bestselling author of Pandora’s Jar and Stone Blind brings formidable Greek goddesses the attention they deserve. These goddesses are as mighty, revered and destructive as their male counterparts. Isn’t it time we looked beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within? She talks to Hay Festival Director of Programmes and Engagement Helen Bagnall.

Sponsored by Shepherds Parlour

Russell Kane

Stand up: HyperActive

Sunday 1 December 2024, 7pm – 8.10pm– Castle Marquee

High-octane and thrilling, join Russell Kane for a night of side-clutchingly hilarious comedy as he presents his new show HyperActive. Kane is an award-winning comedian, presenter, podcast host, writer, author, animal-lover and multiple-pet-owner. As well as his sold-out comedy tours and frequent TV work, Kane’s BBC Sounds podcast Evil Genius has quickly become a flagship show. He published a novel as well as a memoir about his dad called Son of a Silverback.

In association with Visit Seattle