Hay Festival 2015

Since the 1980s, Brazilian writer Milton Hatoum has depicted a hauntingly accurate pattern: the rise-and-fall cycle of Northern empires, endlessly repeating itself every few decades. In this event, Hatoum explores themes that have helped him find his own creative voice, including memory, democracy and the role that time and literature play in reshaping our common knowledge of history.

Hatoum is a three-time winner of the Jabuti Award, Brazil’s oldest and most prestigious literary prize. He speaks to literary journalist and translator Ángel Gurría-Quintana.

Start your evening at Hay Festival with this workshop specially designed to help you master the art of the Espresso Martini. Do you love drinking cocktails but falter at the thought of making them yourself? No coffee machine? No cocktail shaker? No problem! Glyn Bufton of Black Mountains Botanicals is joining us from his distillery in the Welsh hills to teach you exactly how to achieve the perfect punch.

Not only an artisan spirits producer, Bufton is Head of Coffee Roasting at Black Mountain Roast, so he’s ideally placed to advise on crafting all elements of your cocktail. Learn his tips of the trade for making cold brew coffee, and ways to shake a cocktail without any fancy equipment. Having perfected your Espresso Martini, you’ll taste two other classic cocktails using Black Mountains Botanicals’ award-winning range of spirits.

Stroll down to the pebbly ‘beach’ at the Warren to watch something you don’t see in the river every day – a demonstration of synchronised swimming. Bristol-based swimming group Almost Synchro are united by a passion for outdoor swimming and performing together. They present a short open-water routine in the River Wye, accompanied by Hay-on-Wye’s own Hay Shantymen performing a track from their forthcoming album. A unique event that might make you want to jump in the water, or sing, or both!

Experience the divine acoustic in the late Georgian Gothic ambience of St Mary’s Church in Hay-on-Wye. This service of Choral Evensong for the Feast of Pentecost is an opportunity to enjoy beautiful music in an historic and much-loved community setting. The combined choir comprises singers from the nearby churches of St Mary’s in Ross-on-Wye and Holy Trinity in Hereford, and children from Clyro Church in Wales primary school.

The service is led by Father David Wyatt, Vicar for Hay, Llanigon, Clyro & Capel-y-Ffin in the Black Mountains Ministry Area. Political sketch writer and journalist Quentin Letts, who lives in rural Herefordshire, and whose latest novel is appropriately named Nunc!, will provide a short homily.

Legendary journalist Michael Buerk reveals the books he kept at his side while travelling the world as a foreign correspondent – and in the years since. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear from a master storyteller about the writers who both inspired him and brought him comfort during his life and distinguished BBC career. Buerk talks to ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham.

Jason and the Argonauts’ search for the Golden Fleece is one of the most enduring myths in history, told and retold for thousands of years. Here Haynes performs a gripping feminist reclamation of the classic tragedy – this time focusing on Medea, the sorceress who holds the key to Jason’s survival. A brilliant new telling of an ancient story from broadcaster, classics author and comedian Haynes – known for her BBC Radio 4 series, Natalie Haynes Stands up for the Classics.

Comedian-who-cooks George Egg wants you to play with your food – to make a Big Mac out of mackerel, dahl out of baked beans and brownies out of Twiglets. Talking to comedian, satirist and writer Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Egg will share some of the stories and snob-snubbing mash-ups featured in The Snack Hacker, his new cookbook that breaks all the rules.

Beloved by everyone from fellow funnyman James Acaster to chef Nigella Lawson (really), the book is a joyful celebration of food and a reminder that cooking shouldn’t be serious. Whether you’re more crabstick than caviar, or prefer a Beaufort to a Babybel, this event is where the culinary high and low brow collide.

A captivating conversation between writers Renato Cisneros and Philippe Sands on family, memory and history, asking the question – how much are our private lives shaped by political and historical forces?

Peruvian author Cisneros (The Distance Between Us, You Shall Leave Your Land and The World We Saw Burning) reflects on inheritance, silence and identity within a family marked by power and conflict. Lawyer and historian Sands’ 38 Londres Street examines legacies of violence, justice and belonging that resonate across generations and borders. They talk to Sophie Hughes, who is the most nominated translator in the International Booker Prize’s 10-year history.

Start your evening at Hay Festival with this workshop specially designed to help you master the art of the Espresso Martini. Do you love drinking cocktails but falter at the thought of making them yourself? No coffee machine? No cocktail shaker? No problem! Glyn Bufton of Black Mountains Botanicals is joining us from his distillery in the Welsh hills to teach you exactly how to achieve the perfect punch.

Not only an artisan spirits producer, Bufton is Head of Coffee Roasting at Black Mountain Roast, so he’s ideally placed to advise on crafting all elements of your cocktail. Learn his tips of the trade for making cold brew coffee, and ways to shake a cocktail without any fancy equipment. Having perfected your Espresso Martini, you’ll taste two other classic cocktails using Black Mountains Botanicals’ award-winning range of spirits.

The Brazilian Ambassador to the UK, Antonio Patriota, introduces this screening of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s neo-noir political thriller about a man attempting to flee persecution and resist an authoritarian regime – the film won Mendonça Filho Best Director at Cannes.

A university professor travels from São Paulo to the seaside city of Recife during Carnival week, hoping to reunite with his son. He soon finds out he’s been tailed and spied on by neighbours in his new refuge, leaving him no possible escape from the tentacles of corruption.

Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho (2025). Film duration 2 hours 41 minutes. Certificate 15.

How do you become a writer? And how do you find the courage to give up a job you love to do it? In an exclusive conversation for Hay Festival, the nation’s favourite weather presenter and best-selling author Carol Kirkwood talks to her former BBC Breakfast co-host, the broadcaster and chartered psychologist Dr Sian Williams, about making life-changing decisions and writing her way around the world, one book at a time.

The debut novelist discusses his book, a poignant story exploring the extraordinary impact of the Windrush scandal on ordinary lives. McKenzie-Goddard is a UK-based writer and podcaster with Barbadian-Jamaican roots, and he talks to author Kamila Shamsie about his impulse to write about forgotten lives and unheard stories.

Smallie follows a family from Barbados to Britain, exploring themes of connection, community and country. Emotive, striking and important, the novel is expected to top many of the year’s must-read lists.

 A spine-chilling evening of paranormal investigation, created especially for Hay Festival by Danny Robins from the BBC’s Uncanny.

As night falls over Hay-on-Wye, we invite you to gather for an electric hour of supernatural stories, all set right here in the heart of Hay. Fresh from his own ghost hunt into Hay’s most haunted corners, Robins delivers his findings on the restless spirits said to linger in this ancient town. The strange sightings, the local myths, the unexplained activity…

This is immersive storytelling at its finest, combining unsettling testimony and a deep exploration of fear. And in this town of books, prepare for a scare as Robins uses live readings to prove the power of literature and writing to haunt us too.

Chosen by the public for 15 consecutive years as their ‘Best Brazilian Musician’, Leo Gandelman is one of the country’s most influential musicians for his genre-surpassing versatility that appeals to fans of jazz, pop, classical and hip-hop.

Accompanied by a trio of outstanding musicians who have played together for over a decade, he brings us an evening of emotive, expressive music that will transport you to the tropics of Brazil. With Eduardo Farias on keyboards, Alberto Continentino on bass and Cassius Thepersson on drums.

An hour of movement and breathwork, led by a highly-skilled Hay-on-Wye practitioner, to start your day at Hay Festival with open heart and mind. Whether you need grounding and recharging before a busy day at the Festival, an opportunity to stretch and move your body, or simply an hour to focus on your breathing, this yoga class is open and accessible to all. The class leader will adapt to different levels of experience, so that each student takes what they need from the practice.

Begin the day with a guided tour of Hay Castle led by its director, art historian Tom True. Explore the castle’s layered history, meet some of the characters who once shaped it and hear how it is being reimagined today as a place for ideas, art and thoughtful encounters. The tour includes time to experience the castle’s new interactive interpretation on the second floor, followed by coffee and pastries.

Coffee and pastry included in the ticket price. Meet in the Great Hall.

What do the results of the May elections tell us about the state of the parties, and their big players? Who’s up and who’s down? Who’s in and who’s on their way out? We bring together those in the know to hear what’s really being talked about behind the scenes in Westminster. Chaired by ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham.

Two award-winning novelists discuss their work and their common theme of the relationship between people and planet, with BBC broadcaster Kirsty Lang.

Twice nominated for the Man Booker Prize, Sarah Hall is the award-winning author of several novels and short-story collections. Her most recent book Helm explores the interplay of nature and humanity through the character of a ferocious, mischievous wind who has blasted the landscape of the Eden Valley since the dawn of time, but now seems diminished.

Samantha Harvey won the Booker Prize in 2024 for her space-set novel, Orbital, in which a team of astronauts in the International Space Station collect meteorological data, conduct experiments and test the limits of the human body, all while asking what life is without Earth, and what Earth is without humanity.

Watch a selection of short films, curated by MUBI, throughout the morning and early afternoon. The day’s schedule will be listed each morning at the venue – pop along and take a look.

Step into the magical world of Bird & Blend Tea Co., discover the secrets of tea mixology and create your own perfect blend in an immersive and interactive Tea Mixology Experience led by an expert mixologist. This hands-on workshop invites you to taste up to six unique blends and test your tea knowledge with an engaging and fun tea matching game.

With expert guidance, you’ll get to craft two custom tea blends to take home and pair with your next fave book! You’ll also learn about different tea types and brewing tips to enhance your tea-making ritual at home. There’ll be an opportunity to ask questions, plus you’ll get a goody bag with free samples. Visit the Bird & Blend Tea Co. stand afterwards for a free gift with purchase (find a special token in your goody bag). Book now – it’s going to be TEArrific!

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The Park’s expert ecologists will introduce you to some of the captivating local flora and fauna.

Hay-on-Wye is located within 520 square miles of beautiful countryside that makes up the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The National Park is driving change to bring about a sustainable future, meeting our needs within planetary boundaries. Their Hay Festival series of walks take you into the town’s local environment while offering the opportunity to learn more about the Park’s work and its treasured landscape.

Superstar author and illustrator Rob Biddulph introduces The Moonhaven Chronicles: The Last Wolf – the first in a thrilling new fiction duology. Fast-paced and fully illustrated throughout by Rob, this gripping series will dazzle all fans of Peanut Jones.

Rob will share his inspirations for this spine-tingling new story, brimming with mystery, full moons and werewolves. He’ll also talk about his other books and his own creative origin story. And have your pencils ready for a live version of Rob’s famous ‘Draw with Rob’ episodes. This will be a fun-filled howlfest that the whole pack can sink their claws into.

Are you sitting comfortably? Petr Horáček, a storyteller loved by both children and adults, brings a laugh-out-loud story with a big surprise. Blue Monster wants to play with Rabbit – but Rabbit is sleeping and doesn’t want to play. So... what should Blue Monster do? Blue Monster does something you should never do and then... he does it again and again! Now he definitely has no one to play with! He feels sad, lonely and very guilty. But when Blue Monster opens his mouth and yawns... What a surprise! Things may get better after all! This comforting tale of friendship and forgiveness will get all the family giggling.

Step into the weird and wonderful world of Kitsch & Sync Collective. This high-energy comedy dance theatre workshop whirls through eccentric characters, time-travelling moves and toe-tapping tunes. Expect laughter, silliness and joyful movement for all. Led by Kim Noble, co-founder of the company.

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. Get messy and creative in these interactive sessions delivered by artists and discover that your imagination is the only limit.

Book for the session and you can drop in at any point during the 1.5 hour duration. Accompanying adults: please stay in attendance at all times, but you do not require a ticket.

Step inside Hay Castle – a border stronghold shaped by myth, power and reinvention. Visit the current BorderLands exhibition and enjoy full access to the castle, from cellar to rooftop. Explore rooms layered with stories, including Matilda’s room, the Richard Booth space, historic costumes and the castle cellar.

Experience the new, interactive exhibit on the second floor, then climb to the viewing platform for wide views across the Wye Valley. Your ticket also includes unlimited return visits for a full year, so you can come back as the seasons – and the castle – change.

This ticket allows you to visit the castle at a time of your choice on the day selected, and also gives you entry into the BorderLands exhibition.

This special guided walk invites you to step beyond Hay-on-Wye and into the richly layered border landscape that has shaped centuries of history. Led by professional walking guide Sarah Price, with writer and historian Joseph Emmett accompanying, this gentle circular walk blends walking, listening and reflection.

Sarah will share local insight into the landscape and its human history, while Joseph draws on his book New Roots, Ancient Lands: Walking Herefordshire’s History, offering short readings and welcoming questions as the walk unfolds. A chance to experience the countryside as both place and story.

Step inside Hay Castle during Hay Festival 2026 and explore a place shaped by power, survival and reinvention. Led by an expert volunteer guide, this tour traces 800 years of life inside the castle – from medieval plots and royal whispers to its rescue, restoration and reimagining as a place for ideas today. You’ll move through rooms, stairways and towers, hearing stories of the people who lived, schemed, dreamed and partied here. Along the way, take in sweeping views across the Wye Valley – a reminder that this is a border castle, built to watch and be watched.

Guided tours run daily at 11am and 2pm. Tour price includes entry into the Castle for a year including the current exhibition: BorderLands.

Think about the last time you took a selfie. You probably took more than one to get it right. In an age of quick, throwaway snaps, what happens when we go back to the original self-portraits? Historian Simon Schama looks at what famous artists have seen in the mirror, in a fascinating presentation analysing the self-portraits of Rembrandt, Salvator Rosa, J-L David, Gustave Courbet, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Lucien Freud, David Hockney and Jenny Saville. A captivating deep-dive into how great artists translated their own reflections into non-disposable art for the ages.

Join gut health guru and best-selling author, Professor Tim Spector, for a lively dive into the bubbling world of fermentation. In conversation with lifestyle journalist Gaby Huddart, Spector reveals how everyday microbes – tiny invisible chefs – can transform our food, boost our health, and even put us in a better mood. From sauerkraut to kimchi, sourdough and even coffee, discover how fermented foods can profoundly influence our gut health, boost our immunity and kickstart our overall well-being.

Expect humour, fascinating science, and practical tips to make your kitchen a thriving microbial playground. Perfect for food lovers, science fans, and anyone curious about the quirky, powerful world of microbes that live inside – and alongside – us.

Prepare for a raucous, high-energy Hay Festival event as multi-award winning comedian, Russell Kane, brings his love of pets – and his brand-new picture book – to life on stage. Brace yourself for the chaotic introduction of Brian, an adorable chihuahua, to Terry, the family’s loyal Burmese cat. Packed with jokes, games, fun facts and outrageous stories of pet rivalry, this show promises laughter for all ages. No pets were harmed in the making of this unforgettable comedy adventure.

MG Leonard returns to Hay Festival to tell us all about the latest adventure in her thrilling Time Keys series. Fans of Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson’s adventures in Hunt for the Golden Scarab and The Legend of Viking Thunder will love their new foray in The Impossible Gladiator.

The brave trio are enjoying a holiday in Rome when they’re swept up in the mysterious disappearance of world-famous illusionist Kinetic. Their search leads them through secret time doors to the spectacular Colosseum in Ancient Rome – can they survive long enough to find Kinetic?

MG Leonard will give special insight into the inspiration behind the book, and answer some of your burning questions. If you’re a fan of MG Leonard’s Adventures on Trains series and haven’t yet discovered the Time Keys, now’s the chance!

Come along to the Family Garden to meet Hay Festival 2026 Illustrator in Residence Charlotte Hepburn and join in this fun family activity. Charlotte’s illustration style is full of bright colours, bold shapes and lots of fun. She’ll guide families in the collective creation of a really big bug mural, featuring all your favourite creepy-crawlies! All materials are provided, just bring your imagination.

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. Get messy and creative in these interactive sessions delivered by artists and discover that your imagination is the only limit.

Book for the session and you can drop in at any point during the 1.5 hour duration. Accompanying adults: please stay in attendance at all times, but you do not require a ticket.

Parliamentary sketch writer John Crace casts his sharp and acerbic eye over our current political chaos and governmental absurdity. Crace assesses whether the Labour government has provided any of the change the UK was expecting, looks at the erosion of the Tory party and the rise of Reform, and predicts what the future of our politics might be, in conversation with cross bench peer Rosie Boycott.

Crace’s newest book is a compilation of some of his much-loved Guardian columns. His other books include Taking the Lead: A Dog at Number 10, Depraved New World, Decline and Fail and I, Maybot.

A rare opportunity to hear from actor and rapper Ashley Walters on the release of his memoir. He discusses Always Winning, a candidly-written account of a turbulent past and a philosophy for turning his life around, with writer, presenter and former barrister Afua Hirsch.

Walters’ on-screen performances and rap career have been as explosive as his off-screen life. After experiencing London gang culture, prison and addiction, he completely changed his life – here he shares the framework he adopted to overcome challenges and find inner purpose.

A BBC Radio 3 lunchtime concert series exploring the music of Edvard Grieg and others. This first of three recitals recorded for broadcast features Claire Booth (soprano) and Anna Tilbrook (piano), who perform a programme including Grieg, Delius and Ravel.

Programme:

Percy Grainger Bold William Taylor

Percy Grainger The Power of Love (Danish Folk-Music Suite)

Edvard Grieg The Mountain Maid (Hautussa), Op 67

Agathe Backer Grøndahl Siklebækken, Op 30 No 9

Frederick Delius Seven Danish Songs (excerpt)

Maurice Ravel Cinq mélodies populaires grecques

Meet Hilda and Twig! Hilda is everyone’s favourite blue-haired heroine, and her best friend, deer-fox Twig, is the perfect companion as they explore the wilderness together. Come and develop your design skills with their Emmy and BAFTA award-winning creator Luke Pearson, who’ll show how to draw your favourite characters.

This is a brilliant and fun introduction to comics, and after sketching up a storm, you’ll get the chance to ask Luke your burning Hilda questions. Netflix have made a critically-acclaimed animated series based on the books, Hilda, and the mischievous duo continue their adventures in Hilda and Twig: Wake the Ice Man.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could share our thoughts with animals, and hear theirs in return? Trace what those thoughts might be with Nicola Davies as she introduces Skrimsli, her new fantasy adventure about the early life of the tiger sea captain who stole our hearts in The Song That Sings Us.

Skrimsli and his friends must escape the clutches of a tyrannical circus owner and his twin assassin-acrobats, then stop a war and save an ancient forest, helped along the way by a series of unusual characters. It’s a story full of excitement and danger, exploring friendship, loyalty, identity and love, in the context of some of humanity’s toughest problems. Nicola is Children’s Laureate for Wales 2025–27.

Step into the weird and wonderful world of Kitsch & Sync Collective. This high-energy comedy dance theatre workshop whirls through eccentric characters, time-travelling moves and toe-tapping tunes. Expect laughter, silliness and joyful movement for all. Led by Kim Noble, co-founder of the company.

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The Park’s expert ecologists will introduce you to some of the captivating local flora and fauna.

Hay-on-Wye is located within 520 square miles of beautiful countryside that makes up the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The National Park is driving change to bring about a sustainable future, meeting our needs within planetary boundaries. Their Hay Festival series of walks take you into the town’s local environment while offering the opportunity to learn more about the Park’s work and its treasured landscape.

Step inside Hay Castle during Hay Festival 2026 and explore a place shaped by power, survival and reinvention. Led by an expert volunteer guide, this tour traces 800 years of life inside the castle – from medieval plots and royal whispers to its rescue, restoration and reimagining as a place for ideas today. You’ll move through rooms, stairways and towers, hearing stories of the people who lived, schemed, dreamed and partied here. Along the way, take in sweeping views across the Wye Valley – a reminder that this is a border castle, built to watch and be watched.

Guided tours run daily at 11am and 2pm. Tour price includes entry into the Castle for a year including the current exhibition: BorderLands.

At a pivotal moment for our climate, economist and academic Nicholas Stern comes to Hay Festival with a powerful message: we do not have to choose between prosperity and the planet.

Drawing on decades at the forefront of international climate policy – including his landmark Stern Review – Stern argues that climate action is the growth story of the 21st century. The real risk lies not in acting, but in failing to act. Bringing together economics, finance, politics and behavioural science, he sets out a bold, practical vision for transforming our economies to deliver sustainable, inclusive growth while tackling the climate and biodiversity crises head on.

As Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, Stern offers an unrivalled insight into what must happen next. Urgent, authoritative and solutions-driven – this is an essential Hay Festival conversation about the future we choose. He talks to the BBC’s Europe editor Katya Adler.

Master storyteller Helen Oyeyemi presents her playful new novel A New New Me.

Set over the course of a week, the book is the story of Kinga, who exists in seven different versions, Kingas A to G. When Kinga A discovers a man tied up in their apartment, the Kingas have to deal with the possibility that one of them might be planning to destroy them all.

Oyeyemi is the author of several novels including Parasol Against the Axe, and won the Somerset Maugham Award for White is for Witching. She talks to journalist Kirsty Lang.

Experience evocative storytelling that bridges page and screen, in this screening of award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan’s narration of George Orwell’s profoundly impactful and thought-provoking classic.

Dhawan gives an electrifying and fresh approach to Orwell’s chilling critique of totalitarianism and the dangers of unchecked power. Despite the book’s bleak tone, the compelling narrative ensures its enduring popularity and relevance.

The Read is a series of outstanding performance readings of iconic British novels. Each episode offers a richly immersive celebration of literature.

Author Sir Michael Morpurgo and broadcaster Clare Balding discuss the children’s classic Black Beauty, Anna Sewell’s story about the kind-spirited horse and the compassion and cruelty he witnesses, and its parallels with Michael’s best-selling novel War Horse.

Michael has recently retold this unforgettable story set in Victorian Britain for today’s readers. He has often said it was Black Beauty that showed him how he might tell the story of War Horse, through the eyes of a horse that witnesses the horror of war from both sides. War Horse, which was published over 40 years ago, has been adapted into a hugely successful stage play by the National Theatre.

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. Get messy and creative in these interactive sessions delivered by artists and discover that your imagination is the only limit.

Book for the session and you can drop in at any point during the 1.5 hour duration. Accompanying adults: please stay in attendance at all times, but you do not require a ticket.

Three brilliant speakers, all with something completely different to say about our natural world. Comedian and presenter Sandi Toksvig explains how she’s restoring her own ancient woodland, best-selling author Ian McEwan shares his hope for nature’s resilience in the face of climate change, and former president of the National Farmers’ Union Baroness Minette Batters issues a love letter to life on the farm. They talk to climate journalist David Shukman.