Hay Festival 2026

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, with guests including the leader of the Green Party in Westminster, Ellie Chowns, the veteran Conservative MP, David Davis and the chief political commentator for The Times, Patrick Maguire.

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.

BBC Radio 4’s flagship literary programme, Take Four Books, speaks to an author about their latest novel and explores its connections to three other works. It’s a show about influences, inspiration and more broadly the joy of reading. Presented by the writer James Crawford, the programme has featured some of the world’s biggest authors, as well as interesting debuts. Please join for what promises to be a fascinating conversation with the British-Bangladeshi writer Tahmima Anam about her new novel, Uprising.

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 delivered in partnership with Meadow Arts, 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 Meadow Arts 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.

What awaits us in the deep? Dive into the power of the ocean with Tom Whipple for a live recording of BBC Radio 4's Inside Science. With amazing ocean guides Helen Czerski and Vincent Doumeizel alongside, Tom will illuminate the mysteries and challenge the controversies behind the sea science that’s changing our world.

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!