HowTheLightGetsIn Festival, London 2021

HowTheLightGetsIn, the largest philosophy and music festival in the world, returns to Kenwood House this September for a weekend of high-octane debate and live performance. The festival brings with it some of the biggest thinkers, musicians and comedians peddling their truths, with over 200 events taking place across the two-day event.

The first live edition of the festival in two years, HowTheLightGetsIn moved boldly into the online sphere in 2020, staging four digital festivals including a pioneering global experience spanning London, Delhi and New York. But, as the festival’s director and founder of the Institute of Art and Ideas Hilary Lawson points out: ‘However inventive the virtual reality space, nothing is quite like the real thing.’

Speakers left to right: Linda Yueh, Philip Collins and Shami Chakrabarti

The live festival is a chance for guests to fully immerse themselves in a weekend of big ideas. The theme of the September edition is 'Dreams and Jeopardy', a coupling of topics rich in potential which are being explored by headline speakers including human rights activist Shami Chakrabarti, economics commentator Grace Blakeley, award-winning journalist David Aaronovitch, feminist Laurie Penny, Tony Blair’s former speech writer Philip Collins, and economic broadcaster Linda Yueh.

Discussions not to miss include ‘The Civilisation Trap’, an exploration of whether humans should rewild in order to escape the oppression of agricultural civilisation; ‘Memes All The Way Down’, a deep-dive into meme theory; and ‘The Magic and the Mundane’, a frank dissection of why we ignore the dangers of the household drug and social lubricant that is alcohol.

CoCo and the Butterfields

Evening is when deep thinking is put to bed and festival goers can unwind, switch off and let their hair down. The full line-up of performers is yet to be announced, but set to bring the beats this year are winners of the Glastonbury Pilton Party competition Pattern Pusher (who attendees may have seen sharing a stage with Wolf Alice and Supergrass in the past); five piece new-age blues band Flood for the Famine (as heard on BBC Introducing) and acoustic indie-pop group CoCo and the Butterfields, who have performed alongside Bastille and The Fratellis in the past.

As evening dissolves into night, djs will be spinning the decks, keeping the crowds dancing under the stars.

Tickets to HowTheLightGetsIn Festival are available now. Click here to book. Students and under 25s are eligible for a 30% discount.