Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts

If you close your eyes and imagine the green serenity of Wales’s Brecon Beacons, add a cluster of bookshops and cafes, a hearty load of laughter and, of course, a selection of the world’s greatest living writers, thinkers, speakers and performers, you can almost imagine Hay Festival.

From Wales to the world

Since it burst onto the literary scene in 1988, Hay has become a highlight in the cultural calendar. It started as a single tent in an unknown Welsh town (when playwright Henry Miller came to speak at the second festival he thought Hay-On-Wye was ‘some kind of sandwich’). Now it has offshoots all around the world and has expanded to encompass a wide variety of writing, from lyrics to science. It’s got all the basics of a classic festival — muddy boots, vast open spaces, electrifying live performances — with an added dose of intellectual enlightenment. In 2001 Bill Clinton captured this unique appeal by describing Hay as ‘ the Woodstock of the mind’ , and catapulting the festival to legendary status.

Though at odds with the bookish beginnings, this popularity has enriched the festival rather than inflating it out of proportion. 'Hay hoovers up the best writers’ wrote The Guardian in 2008, and has become ‘a self-reinforcing phenomenon: they get the best, and so the best want to come’. This pattern has certainly proved true, with subsequent speakers including Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis and Zadie Smith. Something about the tranquility and the clever crowds makes this event as popular with writers as it with readers.

Meet your favourite authors

Thankfully all the hype and huge names haven’t stifled what’s special about Hay. The best bit is the most basic – everyone wandering around in a field, and by everyone we mean the literati as well as the hoi polloi. Sure, squash into a tent to hear Stephen Fry talk about Shakespeare , but keep your eyes peeled: you’re just as likely to spot him browsing the bookshop. Kick back in a delightfully literary themed deckchair to read a book, but don’t be surprised to find its author sitting next to you. 

Our top picks for Hay Festival

With so many cultural bigwigs making rare appearances, events sell out fast. It’s worth studying the line-up and booking early. Culture Whisper recommends some girl power: Arianna Huffington discussing her ground-breaking media empire; Nobel Prize Winning author Toni Morrison reflecting on literature, jazz and politics; Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy reading her verse; and baking legend Mary Berry sharing her Recipes for Life. Those looking for a laugh should check out comedian Bill Bailey or sharp-tongued satirist P.J O’Rourke. Other top picks include a unique tribute to Tony Benn from musician cum activist Billy Bragg and Sebastian Faulks’s discussion of the adaptation of Birdsong for the big screen.

But, it is also worth taking time to explore Hay. Whether it’s a fresh new talent, a secondhand copy of an obscure novel, or simply a delectable snack, you never know what  wonderful surprise you could encounter in the next tent.

Hay Fever

This fun-packed Children’s festival, which runs alongside the adult events, makes Hay ideal for the whole family. Budding bookworms will delight in meeting their favourite author. This year’s line up includes best-sellers such as Michael Morpurgo, Judy Blume, Jacqueline Wilson and Anthony Horowitz. For more hands-on kids there’re oodles of activities in The Mess Tent, where dirt and mayhem are encouraged. Get creative in The Make and Take Tent, or join in with Horrid Henry’s birthday party, embark on a Bear Hunt… imagination’s the limit. 

To book tickets at Hay, visit the website

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