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Hay Festival 2026

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

Page  9 of 12
ConversationNicholas Crane talks to Nicola Cutcher

Event 285

Nicholas Crane talks to Nicola Cutcher

The Path More Travelled: The Secret History of Britain’s Footpaths

–  Discovery Stage
Read more

Explore the hidden history of Britain’s coast-to-coast web of walkways with geographer and travel writer Nicholas Crane as he chats to nature journalist Nicola Cutcher. This event takes you from the prehistoric routeways walked by European migrants 12,000 years ago to the Hadrian’s Wall Path and the banks of the Severn, via our national parks and long-distance trails, which emerged from the ashes of two world wars.

Crane, who is a presenter on the BAFTA-winning series Coast, talks about the routes he took for his new book The Path More Travelled, the discoveries he made along the way, and offers up a passionate ode to walking, urging us all to rediscover and protect our landscapes.

Price: £16.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PerformanceNha Thuyên with MontenegroFisher, Wanda O’Connor and Lowri Hedd Vaughan

Event 286

Nha Thuyên with MontenegroFisher, Wanda O’Connor and Lowri Hedd Vaughan

An International Poetry Performance: Rising and Sinking Like Mountains in Streams

–  Exchange Marquee
Read more

Explore poetic encounters between Vietnam and Wales with an hour of visceral performance and poetry. Led by Vietnamese poet Nha Thuyên, this event showcases an artistic exploration of two rivers – the Red River, which runs through Vietnam, and the River Wye, which runs through Wales.

Thuyên is joined by duo MontenegroFisher, inspired by classical female poet Ho Xuân Hương, for a performance resonating with resilience, sensuality and nature’s force. Two emerging artists from Wales also join to present their collaboration interpreting landscape, language and sound through the lens of ecology. Dr Wanda O’Connor is an academic and writer working in contemporary poetry and poetics; Lowri Hedd Vaughan is a regenerative practitioner concerned with the restoration of natural living systems.

Price: £16.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ScreeningShort Film Screenings

Event 287

Short Film Screenings

–  MUBI Cinema
Read more

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

Free – drop in
WorkshopMagical World of Tea: Sip, Savour & Blend

Event 288

Magical World of Tea: Sip, Savour & Blend

Hay Festival 2026 x Bird & Blend Tea Co.

–  Garden Kitchen
Read more

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!

Price: £25.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityWayfaring Walk 15: Treescapes of the National Park

Event 289

Wayfaring Walk 15: Treescapes of the National Park

With Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Guides

–  Meeting Point on Festival Site
Read more

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, and learn more about the area’s iconic ancient and veteran trees.

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.

Please wear appropriate footwear and outdoor gear. Walk level: moderate.
Price: £20.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PerformanceDavid Litchfield

Event F47

David Litchfield

The Bear and the Piano Show

–  Meadow Stage
Read more

Award-winning author and illustrator David Litchfield is bringing his Bear Band to Hay Festival on a 10th anniversary concert tour! David will read his book The Bear and the Piano, (winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2016) accompanied by live music, with David on guitar, Rebecca De Winter on piano and lots of audience participation.

After this very special story time, stick around to help David create a piece of animal-related artwork. You can even join David’s Merry Band of Bears as they perform a live music concert. There’ll be plenty of fun for both Little Bears and Big Bears.

3+ years
Please bring your own sketchbook and pencils to this event.
Price: £10.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PerformanceOlaf Falafel

Event F48

Olaf Falafel

The Far Out Five: Snot Jelly Island

–  Spring Stage
Read more

Don’t miss some far-out fun with Olaf Falafel! Join the award-winning comedian, author and illustrator for a fun, interactive session inspired by his new graphic novel The Far-Out Five: Snot Jelly Island. Olaf will be telling jokes, sharing tips on creating funny comics and guiding you through drawing one of his wonderfully weird characters. Warning: this event will contain art, farts and bum-faced woodlice!

7+ years
Please bring your own sketchbook and pencils to this event.
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityMake & Take Crafting

Event MT19

Make & Take Crafting

Friday Morning Session

–  Make & Take Hub
Read more

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. The theme for today is rivers, with support from The Rivers Trust. 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.

3–11 years
Price: £7.50

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

Hay Castle eventBorderLands Exhibition & Hay Castle Entry

Event HC26

BorderLands Exhibition & Hay Castle Entry

–  Hay Castle
Read more

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.

Price: £7.50

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityGuided Walk Around Hay-on-Wye: A Historic Landscape

Event 290

Guided Walk Around Hay-on-Wye: A Historic Landscape

With Sarah Price

–  Meeting Point on Festival Site
Read more

Step away from the Festival site and into the rich border landscape that surrounds Hay-on-Wye on this gentle circular guided walk of around four miles, led by local professional walking guide Sarah Price. The route takes in the border-defining Dulas Brook and the hamlet of Cusop, encompassing St Mary’s Church and the ancient Cusop Castle mound, as well as a section of Offa’s Dyke Path.

Throughout the walk, Sarah brings the landscape to life with stories drawn from local history, lived experience, and years of guiding in the area. This is an ideal walk for anyone who enjoys history, place and thoughtful walking — a chance to explore the wider landscape that has long inspired writers, thinkers and wanderers.

Please wear appropriate footwear and outdoor gear. Walk level: easy.
Price: £20.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

Hay Castle eventGuided Tour of Hay Castle & Hay Castle Entry

Event HC27

Guided Tour of Hay Castle & Hay Castle Entry

Explore Hay Castle with a Tour Guide

–  Hay Castle
Read more

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.

Price: £12.50

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationSaira Hameed talks to Sara Pascoe

Event 292

Saira Hameed talks to Sara Pascoe

Signals: The Inside Story of Our Hormones

–  Discovery Stage
Read more

Discover the miraculous and often misunderstood world of hormones in this lively and engaging conversation. Leading endocrinologist Dr Saira Hameed, author of Signals, speaks to comedian Sara Pascoe about how hormones write life’s masterplan, as well as control our minute-to-minute experiences, from appetite to mood.

Combining science, history and patient stories, this informative and accessible event will have you thinking differently about hormones, and provide a deeper understanding of how health and happiness depends on their power. Hameed is a consultant endocrinologist for the NHS, a senior tutor and an honorary clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London.

Price: £16.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PanelImani Erriu, Hazel McBride and Rachel Winterbottom

Event 293

Imani Erriu, Hazel McBride and Rachel Winterbottom

Romantasy Rules

–  Meadow Stage
Read more

Are you obsessed with romantasy yet? Book sales are growing faster than in any other genre – it’s a booming market and its fan base is passionate and loyal. Here a panel of experts explain why it’s so successful and consider what we should learn about the huge appeal of worlds where women are in control. Imani Erriu is author of the Heavenly Bodies romance fantasy series, Hazel McBride writes the Bonded to Beasts series, and Rachel Winterbottom is publishing director for bespoke romantasy imprint Wayward TxF.

Erriu’s latest book Fallen Stars continues the story of Elara and Enzo, first introduced in Heavenly Bodies. A third book, Holy Monsters, is expected next year. McBride’s A Queen Crowned in Flames is the searing conclusion to her Celtic-inspired duology that began with A Fate Forged in Fire. Winterbottom and Wayward TxF have published Sable Sorenson’s Direbound, among others.

Price: £13.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityThe Inclusive Books for Children Award Winners

Event F49

The Inclusive Books for Children Award Winners

Inclusive Storytelling

–  Spring Stage
Read more

In this entertaining event for absolutely everyone, we’re celebrating inclusivity in reading in an interactive storytelling session for all the family.

The 2026 Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) Awards winners are: Let’s Play by Alex Strick, Annie Kubler and Sarah Dellow for baby and toddler books; The Beautiful Layers of Me by Sophia Payne and Ruchi Mhasane for picture books; Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy for children’s fiction; and Cloud Boy by Greg Stobbs is the Children’s Choice Award winner.

IBC is a charity with a free website for families, schools and libraries to help easily choose books for a more inclusive bookshelf. IBC showcases stories that represent all types of family, featuring books with a variety of ethnicities, positive images of disabilities and different identities.

The IBC Awards celebrate the talent behind the best new inclusive children’s books published in the UK across three categories: baby and toddler books (1–3 years), picture books (3–7 years) and highly illustrated children’s fiction (5–9 years). The Festival bookshop features a dedicated Inclusive Books for Children section showcasing IBC’s top-reviewed books of the year. Come along and get your books signed after the event!

Family, 3–9 years
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkKiran Millwood Hargrave

Event F50

Kiran Millwood Hargrave

The Ship of Strays

–  Exchange Marquee
Read more

Enter the dangerous, magical world of the Geomancer, as Kiran Millwood Hargrave leads us through a quest with the future of the whole world at stake. In The Ship of Strays, the thrilling third book in her epic fantasy trilogy, heroine Ysolda has unlocked the earth magic, and its powers are rising within her. With a rebel princess by her side, she is racing against the fearsome wolf queen. But they’re in for a stormy journey…

The Ship of Strays follows the first two books of the trilogy, In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen and The Storm and the Sea Hawk. Kiran’s other award-winning novels include The Girl of Ink and Stars, Julia and the Shark and The Mercies. She’ll give a peek into her new tale of adventure, share insights into writing enthralling fantasy and give her top tips for world-building and letting your imagination run riot.
9+ years
Please bring your own notebook and pen to this event.
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

WorkshopSimurgh: Flights of Imagination Arts Workshop

Event W13

Simurgh: Flights of Imagination Arts Workshop

With the University of Worcester

–  Family Garden Marquee
Read more

In this inspiring mixed media workshop, you’ll explore the legendary Persian bird, the Simurgh, and the folklore that surrounds it. The Simurgh is a mythical creature and an ancient symbol that appears across time and cultures and in different legends, often with varying roles, qualities and names. It is sometimes depicted with a head of a dog, lion’s claws and a peacock’s body. All materials and equipment provided – just bring your imagination!

University of Worcester staff and students from the Department of Illustration and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (ICPBS) return to Hay Festival with their engaging workshops to inspire all young creatives.

7-11 years
Parents/carers must attend but do not need a ticket
Price: £14.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityMake & Take Crafting

Event MT20

Make & Take Crafting

Friday Lunchtime Session

–  Make & Take Hub
Read more

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. The theme for today is rivers, with support from The Rivers Trust. 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.

3–11 years
Price: £7.50

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkAC Grayling

Event 294

AC Grayling

For the People: Fighting Authoritarianism, Saving Democracy

–  Global Stage
Read more

Are we witnessing the end of democracy? The foundations of freedom and civil liberties are being eroded around the world, and once-liberal countries are turning to populism. Renowned philosopher AC Grayling investigates the forces undermining our democratic ideals, and delivers an urgent wake-up call, offering bold solutions to fix our problems. Grayling is founder and principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and is author of best-selling books including The Meaning of Things.

Price: £20.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationJames Marriott talks to Georgina Godwin

Event 295

James Marriott talks to Georgina Godwin

The End of Reading and the Dawn of a Post-Literate Society

–  Meadow Stage
Read more

We are in the midst of the most important cultural shift of our time, argues journalist James Marriott: a decline in reading. In this National Year of Reading, join the Times columnist in conversation with broadcaster Georgina Godwin as he looks at the fall in literacy and reading, and presents an impassioned defence of the written word.

In his book The New Dark Ages, Marriott draws on history and classic works of literature and theory to show that reading and writing are essential for innovation, creativity and critical thinking. As print dies, he argues, we risk returning to the chaos, tribalism and rage of a pre-literate society.

Price: £18.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationClaire Fuller talks to Alex Clark

Event 296

Claire Fuller talks to Alex Clark

Hunger and Thirst

–  Exchange Marquee
Read more

Award-winning author Claire Fuller takes us into the addictively propulsive plot of her new novel Hunger and Thirst, sharing her talent for making the ordinary extraordinary, with literary journalist Alex Clark. Decades after a tumultuous experience living in a squat with wild-child Sue, reclusive sculptor Ursula is living under a pseudonym when a true-crime documentary-maker begins digging into an unsolved disappearance. As her past catches up to her present, Ursula must work out whether the monsters are within her or without.

A must-attend event for literature lovers, this is a chance to hear Fuller talk about fictionalising everyday horrors and creating unsettling narratives. Fuller’s novels include the Costa Novel Award-winner Unsettled Ground, and the Desmond Elliott Prize-winning Swimming Lessons.

Price: £15.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PanelColin Grant, Suzanne Harrington, Eric Ngalle Charles and Amanda Vilanova

Event 297

Colin Grant, Suzanne Harrington, Eric Ngalle Charles and Amanda Vilanova

What We Leave We Carry: Voices of Migration to Britain

–  MUBI Cinema
Read more

What do we leave behind when we move to a new place – and what do we carry with us, physically and emotionally, wherever we land? Colin Grant, director of WritersMosaic, draws out candid and moving stories of migration – foundational tales of arriving in a new land, along with rarely spoken tales of love and loss. This is a chance to listen to Britain, in all its richness and complexity.

He’s joined by storytellers sharing the secrets of their migrant songs and objects: Suzanne Harrington (The Liberty Tree), an Irish writer who travelled with an ‘introductory’ sick note from her psychiatrist; Eric Ngalle Charles (Homelands), a Cameroonian poet bestowed with an ancestral charm to ward off any danger encountered in Britain; and Amanada Vilanova (Hurricane Diaries), a Puerto Rican actor gifted her mother’s jewellery to sell in an emergency.

Price: £15.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkCressida Cowell

Event F51

Cressida Cowell

How to Train Your Dragon School: Fight of the Flamestrike

–  Discovery Stage
Read more

Batten down the hatches for the arrival of the next How to Train Your Dragon School adventure! Legendary author and illustrator Cressida Cowell is back, and she’s drawing up a storm. In this high-energy event full of chatting and sketching, Cressida will show you how Viking and Dragon Heroes are made.

In their latest exploit, Hiccup and his fellow Warriors-in-Training are learning Disastrous Lesson Number Two: Boarding-An-Enemy-Ship-At-Sea. Well, they’re supposed to be learning about enemy ships at sea. But when they come across a mysterious vessel, with a ripped sail and nobody driving it, Hiccup’s heart sinks. They really, really shouldn’t get onboard. But… as on so many occasions in Hiccup’s life, they are going to do it anyway.

7+ years
Please bring your own sketchbook and pencils to this event.
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkAnna Fiteni

Event F52

Anna Fiteni

The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire

–  Spring Stage
Read more

Step into a mystical fae world with Welsh author Anna Fiteni as she takes you on a journey through the history and fantasy that shaped her homegrown YA debut novel, The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire.

Lush, romantic and hypnotic, Fiteni’s whimsical tale finds sensible Sabrina Parry drawn into a world of disarmingly attractive faeries after her sister vanishes in the woods. Budding writers and romantasy readers will love this event, as Fiteni offers practical writing tips, imagines a snapshot of Wales’s enchanting history, and takes a deep dive into the global influence of Welsh fantasy.

13+ years
Please bring your own notebook and pen to this event.
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

WorkshopSimurgh: Flights of Imagination Arts Workshop

Event W14

Simurgh: Flights of Imagination Arts Workshop

With the University of Worcester

–  Family Garden Marquee
Read more

In this inspiring mixed media workshop, you’ll explore the legendary Persian bird, the Simurgh, and the folklore that surrounds it. The Simurgh is a mythical creature and an ancient symbol that appears across time and cultures and in different legends, often with varying roles, qualities and names. It is sometimes depicted with a head of a dog, lion’s claws and a peacock’s body. All materials and equipment provided – just bring your imagination!

University of Worcester staff and students from the Department of Illustration and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (ICPBS) return to Hay Festival with their engaging workshops to inspire all young creatives.

12+ years
No parent/carer attendance is required
Price: £14.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityWayfaring Walk 16: Treescapes of the National Park

Event 298

Wayfaring Walk 16: Treescapes of the National Park

With Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Guides

–  Meeting Point on Festival Site
Read more

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, and learn more about the area’s iconic ancient and veteran trees.

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.

Please wear appropriate footwear and outdoor gear. Walk level: moderate.
Price: £20.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

Hay Castle eventGuided Tour of Hay Castle & Hay Castle Entry

Event HC28

Guided Tour of Hay Castle & Hay Castle Entry

Explore Hay Castle with a Tour Guide

–  Hay Castle
Read more

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.

Price: £12.50

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationEmma Thompson in conversation with Elizabeth Day

Event 299

Emma Thompson in conversation with Elizabeth Day

My Life in Books: Hay Festival Exclusive

–  Global Stage
Read more

An incredible opportunity to hear from one of the most accomplished and successful actors of our times, as Emma Thompson reveals the books that have shaped her life. The conversation spans her early memories of childhood stories, the authors who’ve inspired her and the novels that have left a lasting impact. Expect a funny, moving and intensely personal conversation with best-selling author and podcaster Elizabeth Day.

Price: £30.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationOcean Vuong

Event 300

Ocean Vuong

The Emperor of Gladness: Unexpected Friendship and Healing

–  Discovery Stage
Read more

One of literature’s most exciting names, Ocean Vuong, comes to Hay Festival for the first time to discuss his achingly beautiful novel The Emperor of Gladness. Exploring chosen family and unexpected friendship, the novel tells the story of 19-year-old Hai, who’s stopped from jumping off a bridge by the voice of Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia. The pair form a life-altering bond, and each find ways to heal through their extraordinary friendship. Join an unmissable conversation with the author who set the literary world alight with his best-selling novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.

Price: £16.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationFrank Cottrell-Boyce talks to Tom Gatti

Event 301

Frank Cottrell-Boyce talks to Tom Gatti

A British Childhood: How Our Children Live Now

–  Meadow Stage
Read more

What does it mean to be a child today? And what will the future of Britain look like if we don’t care for those who will shape it? Join author and Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce as he talks to Observer literary editor Tom Gatti, casting a glaring new light on childhood in the 21st century. Cottrell-Boyce will share stories about the children and young people he has met during his work, and assess what the impact of successive crises – from the Covid pandemic to austerity and the pressures on the care system – mean for those growing up today.

This illuminating session is a call to arms to us all, to care for the children of today. Cottrell-Boyce is a multi-award-winning children’s book author and screenwriter, and began his two-year term as Children’s Laureate in 2024.

Hay Festival is proud to support the National Year of Reading
Price: £15.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ScreeningDr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with Reece Shearsmith

Event 302

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with Reece Shearsmith

Book to Screen: The Read

–  MUBI Cinema
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Experience evocative storytelling that bridges page and screen, in this screening of BAFTA award-winning actor and writer Reece Shearsmith’s narration of Robert Louis Stevenson’s defining gothic horror.

Who is the real monster? Shearsmith explores alter-egos, drawing us into the strange and eerie world of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with a captivating narration that reimagines the nineteenth-century classic.

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

Free but ticketed
Price: £0.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PerformanceCatrin Finch

Event 303

Catrin Finch

Notes to Self

–  St Mary’s Church
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Spend the afternoon in the company of Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, as she performs a series of reflective new tracks composed for her 13-year-old self. Finch’s Notes to Self is her first album of solo compositions in a decade, and contains accompanying letters that underscore her personal journey and experiences as a gay woman, a cancer survivor, a sister, daughter and mother.

Following her performance Finch, who served as Royal Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales in her early 20s, will discuss the creative process and the realisation of her new work with actor, singer and writer Carys Eleri.

Price: £20.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationCreative Industry Insights: Paterson Joseph talks to Cariad Lloyd

Event F53

Creative Industry Insights: Paterson Joseph talks to Cariad Lloyd

–  Spring Stage
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Paterson Joseph is an actor​ and author​. He is known for extensive theatre work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and acclaimed screen roles in Peep Show, Vigil and Wonka. Paterson will draw on his extensive experience to offer invaluable insights and advice for anyone interested in a career in performance. He talks to comedian and actress Cariad Lloyd.

This event is one of a Hay Festival series of sessions delivered by inspiring producers and practitioners from the creative industries, giving their insights, experience and advice on progression in their field.

14+ years
Please bring your own notebook and pen to this event.
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkJim Smith

Event F54

Jim Smith

My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary 5: The Phantom Pooper

–  Exchange Marquee
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Author and illustrator Jim Smith brings friendship, fun and toilet jokes galore to this event launching the fifth installment in his graphic novel series My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary.

Join best friends Pedro, Olga and Ozzy – otherwise known as the Poopies – on a series of fun adventure stories, and help them solve mysteries of the most unexpected kind… such as the case of the unflushed poos.

In between author/illustrating, Jim Smith is a kids’ book spellchecker, and also designs cards and gifts under the name Waldo Pancake. As well as spellchecking, Jim offers a free smellchecking service with every book – these ones stink.

7+ years
Please bring your own sketchbook and pencils to this event.
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ActivityMake & Take Crafting

Event MT21

Make & Take Crafting

Friday Afternoon Session

–  Make & Take Hub
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An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. The theme for today is rivers, with support from The Rivers Trust. 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.

3–11 years
Price: £7.50

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

WorkshopNow You See Me: Printed Portraits Workshop

Event W15

Now You See Me: Printed Portraits Workshop

With the University of Worcester

–  Family Garden Marquee
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In this inspiring arts workshop, supporting neurodivergent participants, you’ll use DIY print-making processes, recycled materials and mixed media to produce a portrait of yourself, or of somebody or something that you love. All materials and equipment provided – just bring your imagination!

University of Worcester staff and students from the Department of Illustration and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (ICPBS) return to Hay Festival with their engaging workshops to inspire all young creatives.

All ages welcome
Ages 11 and under – parents/carers must attend but do not need a ticket
Price: £14.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Event 304

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Matters of Taste: High Fibre Heroes

–  Global Stage
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Who better to tell us about plant superstars – and how we can make them into delicious dishes – than River Cottage founder Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall? He makes heroes of ordinary vegetables, celebrating cabbage, leeks, carrots and tinned beans, among others, and showing how we can get the best out of these humble ingredients.

He’s passionate about the vital importance of fibre in helping society tackle the crisis of diet-related illness, and here he has the recipes and cooking tips to go with it. Come and feel inspired to change the way you shop, cook and eat.

Price: £18.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationNicola Sturgeon talks to Decca Aitkenhead

Event 305

Nicola Sturgeon talks to Decca Aitkenhead

Frankly: The Future for Scotland

–  Discovery Stage
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A candid conversation about a high-profile career played out in the glare of the public gaze. Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon talks to Decca Aitkenhead, the chief interviewer of the Sunday Times, about what she’s proud of and what she regrets. Sturgeon’s memoir Frankly looks back on her life, from her working-class roots in Ayrshire to becoming the most significant figure in Scottish politics, as the country’s first female and longest-service first minister. As well as an insider’s view of some of the key political moments of the recent past, from Scotland’s Independence Referendum to the challenges of the Covid pandemic, Sturgeon talks about the private battles she’s faced behind closed doors. An honest and insightful conversation.

Price: £18.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationCristina Bendek and Shon Faye talk to Georgina Godwin

Event 306

Cristina Bendek and Shon Faye talk to Georgina Godwin

Literary Pairs: From Colombia to the UK

–  Meadow Stage
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Community, culture and compassion are at the heart of this discussion between Colombian writer Cristina Bendek and British author Shon Faye, in conversation with broadcaster Georgina Godwin. They convene as part of the Literary Pairs series from Hay Festival and the British Council, which brings together writers to discuss creativity, partnerships and their latest work.

In Salt Crystals, Bendek explores the histories and diasporas that bind together the island of San Andrés and its cultures, and proposes new ways of understanding the Indigenous Raizal people. Faye’s Love in Exile explores our collective ideas of love and worthiness, the boundaries of consumer capitalism, and how to love in more compassionate, healthy ways.

Price: £15.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationLiam Higginson talks to Claire Fuller

Event 307

Liam Higginson talks to Claire Fuller

Debut Discoveries: The Hill in the Dark Grove

–  Exchange Marquee
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Prepare to be transported into the looming Welsh mountains with this major new literary voice. Liam Higginson, who was born and raised in rural North Wales, speaks to award-winning writer Claire Fuller about his debut novel The Hill in the Dark Grove.

Embedded in Welsh folklore, the book tells the story of Carwyn and Rhian, the last in a long family line of sheep farmers. When Carwyn stumbles across a stone circle and some sort of burial mound in one of the fields on their land, he quickly develops an obsession, while his wife, Rhian, is confronted with the growing realisation that the man with whom she shares her life and home is slowly becoming a frightening stranger.

Price: £12.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ScreeningLet The Right One In

Event 308

Let The Right One In

Book to Screen: Film Screening

–  MUBI Cinema
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Tomas Alfredson’s Swedish horror/romance was adapted by John Ajvide Lindqvist from his 2004 novel. Oskar, a bullied 12-year-old, strikes up a friendship with his new neighbour, the mysterious and moody Eli. Initially reserved, a sweet romance blossoms between them. But a dark, macabre secret revealing Eli’s connection to a string of bloody local murders threatens everything.

15+ years
Directed by Tomas Alfredson (2008). Film duration: 1 hour 55 minutes. Certificate 15.
Price: £7.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkBea Fitzgerald

Event F55

Bea Fitzgerald

A Beautiful Evil

–  Spring Stage
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Join Bea Fitzgerald, Tiktok star and Sunday Times best-selling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen, as she talks about her latest novel A Beautiful Evil – a romantic reimagining of the myth of Pandora, the first ever woman, in which love may very well be the end of the world.

We’ll discuss our favourite romantasy tropes, reimagine myths for a young adult audience and connect with feminist themes in ancient tales. This event is for myth lovers and newbies alike, although vendettas against Zeus are highly encouraged.

13+ years
Price: £9.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PerformanceAmol Rajan with Emma Thompson, Larry Lamb, Paterson Joseph and Guests

Event 309

Amol Rajan with Emma Thompson, Larry Lamb, Paterson Joseph and Guests

Speaking Up for Success: A Spoken Word Gala

–  Global Stage
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A unique and uplifting celebration of the spoken word, bringing together local school children and high-profile artists from across the Festival to perform pieces they’ve learned off by heart. This gala forms the Festival highlight of our campaign to help improve the life chances of young people by working with them to improve their speaking skills.

Price: £28.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

TalkDamien Lewis

Event 310

Damien Lewis

SAS Great Escapes

–  Discovery Stage
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A rollercoaster ride through some of the most dramatic and daring escapes executed by the SAS during the Second World War. Best-selling author Damien Lewis uses verified diaries, mission reports, debriefings and letters written in the heat of danger to bring to life some of the most impressive escapes of the war. From prison camps to enemy territory, these are stories of ingenuity, courage and extraordinary resilience. He'll also discuss one of the greatest escape stories of WW2 as told in his book SAS The Great Train Raid.

A former war and conflict reporter, Lewis combines meticulous research with thriller-like pace in his books. His work has reached the screen, including The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, adapted into a 2024 film by Guy Ritchie. The perfect Hay Festival event for lovers of history at full throttle.

Price: £16.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationSamantha Shannon and Saara El-Arifi in conversation

Event 311

Samantha Shannon and Saara El-Arifi in conversation

Among the Burning Flowers: The Seduction of Fantasy Fiction

–  Meadow Stage
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In this exclusive and magical event, two titans of fantasy fiction dive into the rise of the genre, its huge popularity on TikTok, and the power of otherworldly narratives. Best-selling author of The Bone Season Samantha Shannon discusses her latest book – from a series inspired by the legend of George and the Dragon. She’s joined by fantasy novelist Saara El-Arifi (Faebound), whose newest book is a groundbreaking exploration of Cleopatra in her own words. Together they celebrate fantasy fiction and interrogate what fantasy reveals about us all. No dragons here, but this event will be fire.

Price: £16.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationJarred McGinnis talks to Colin Grant

Event 312

Jarred McGinnis talks to Colin Grant

The Eccles Institute & Hay Festival Global Writer’s Award Winner

–  Spring Stage
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A gripping discussion with the winner of the Eccles Institute & Hay Festival Global Writer’s Award, Jarred McGinnis. McGinnis talks about his memoir There is No Meant to Be, a family epic of love, masculinity and secrets, with British author and historian Colin Grant, who has written extensively about families in the aftermath of Empire.

In the memoir, McGinnis takes us on a journey to unearth the legends surrounding his Irish ancestors, his mother’s gift of foresight, and life as a survivor of the near-fatal accident that left him in a wheelchair. McGinnis was named one of the British Council and National Centre for Writing’s 10 best emerging writers in 2021.

Price: £15.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationGwen Adshead talks to Catherine Loveday

Event 313

Gwen Adshead talks to Catherine Loveday

Unspeakable: Stories of Survival and Transformation After Trauma

–  Exchange Marquee
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A moving and nuanced look at what it is to struggle in the wake of distressing and painful life events, with forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead. Calling on her expertise and long career working in the NHS, including in prisons and secure hospitals, Adshead brings to life the work of therapy, and shares stories of patients who have stepped out of the darkness of shame and fear to discover new possibilities. You’ll leave thinking in new ways about trauma, with myths about its toxicity and permanence burst.

Adshead, author of Unspeakable (co-authored with Eileen Horne), has worked as a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist in the NHS for three decades. She speaks to neuropsychology professor Catherine Loveday.

Price: £15.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

PerformanceGreg Davies talks to Jay Hunt

Event 314

Greg Davies talks to Jay Hunt

Barrel of Laughs: Life and Times of the Welsh Legend

–  Global Stage
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A race through Greg’s 58 years in 58 minutes. It started when he was born in St Asaph’s in Denbighshire, a good hour and 15 minutes from his home over the border in Shropshire, simply because his dad wanted him to be eligible to play rugby for Wales.

His life has been pretty absurd ever since. In conversation with Hay Festival Chair Jay Hunt, he explores his journey from secondary school teacher to one of our best-loved TV comedians.

Price: £28.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

ConversationFrancesca Albanese and Eyal Weizman

Event 315

Francesca Albanese and Eyal Weizman

Landscape as Power: A Unique View of Conflict in the Middle East

–  Discovery Stage
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An extraordinary examination of the conflict in Israel and Gaza, through the lens of architecture, ecology and infrastructure. Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Israeli architect Eyal Weizman discuss the politics of the physical environment – from Gaza’s underground tunnels to the militarisation of its surface. And they ask what impact this has on the potential for justice.

Albanese is an international lawyer, specialising in human rights and the Middle East. Weizman is founder and director of Forensic Architecture, professor of Spatial and Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, and author of Ungrounding: The Architecture of Genocide.

Price: £18.00

Booking is now open to Hay Festival Membership+ and Circle members. Please sign in to access your account or become a member to book now.

Booking for all other Members opens at 12pm on Wednesday 11 March.

General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March.

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