Hay Festival Winter Weekend brings talks, performance and conversation into Hay-on-Wye from 26 to 29 November 2026. This is the town-centre winter edition, separate from the spring festival. Start with the event you most want to hear, then plan the room and journey around its actual venue. The programme is published, so you can compare sessions before choosing how long to stay. Winter transport deserves early attention: a rail arrival at Hereford still leaves the connection to Hay, and an evening event needs a workable journey back. The event cards below are from the published November 2026 programme.
Quick answers
Venues across Hay-on-Wye; check each event's venue.
In 2026, the Winter Weekend programme was published on 21 September, with early booking for members before general sale on 26 September. Check the official site for this year’s date. Official source
- When: 26–29 November 2026.
- Where: Hay-on-Wye; the organiser’s travel page names Hay Castle and St Mary’s Church, while the programme also identifies individual rooms and cinema events.
- Tickets: use the official Winter Weekend programme for the event, venue and current availability.
- By rail: Hereford, followed by a separately planned onward journey.
- Stay: compare Hay-on-Wye, Hereford and Brecon with your final event’s return.
First time? Read this before filling the day with bookings.
What's on
Published 2026 programme
Music and Conversation Connecting us to Nature
· Castle Marquee
David Gray and Mary Colwell will bring conversation and music together in a session about their connection with nature.
Mapping Britain: Opening up the Ordnance Survey Archives
· St Mary’s Church
Will Millard will explore Britain through the Ordnance Survey archive.
The Taper Man: The Latest Spy Thriller from John le Carré’s Son
· St Mary’s Church
Nick Harkaway will discuss his spy thriller with Gary Raymond.
Bright Lives: Poetry and Performance
· Hay Castle – The Gallery
Alex Wharton will share poetry about Black figures connected with Welsh history.
Mexican Table: 100 Recipes, 12 Everyday Ingredients
· St Mary’s Church
Thomasina Miers will discuss Mexican recipes and everyday ingredients with Oliver Bullough.
Hard Truth: Investigations that Shook the World
· Castle Marquee
Stephen Sackur will discuss journalism, whistleblowers and accountability with Bethan Rhys Roberts.
A Spiritual Guide Through The Seasons
· Castle Marquee
Kate Bottley will discuss seasonal customs and rituals with Cole Moreton.
On Time: The Physics That Makes the Universe Tick
· Castle Marquee
Jim Al-Khalili will explore the physics of time and its unanswered questions.
The Bayeux Tapestry
· Castle Marquee
Sue Brunning and Lloyd de Beer will discuss curating the Bayeux Tapestry with Kate Bliss.
Gilgamesh
· Castle Marquee
Simon Armitage will share his version of the ancient epic Gilgamesh.
Official event detailsAt 3 festivals in 2026
About the Winter Weekend
The winter edition is a chance to build a smaller town-based visit around the conversations that interest you. Read each listing for its format: a discussion, a performance and a screening make different demands on the day. A session at the Castle Marquee is not the same booking as a cinema event elsewhere. Keep the venue beside the time in your own plan and give yourself room to move between them without rushing.
The published programme mixes books and ideas with music and other performances. Choose from what is actually on sale, and check availability directly before paying for travel. An event showing as full is not a promise that a return will appear. If your trip depends on one session, settle its booking before making purchases you cannot change. If you are happy to discover something different, compare the rest of the programme and make a day that still appeals even if a preferred event is unavailable.
When it runs
The announced 2026 weekend runs from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November. Use those dates for this edition rather than the spring Hay Festival dates. A programme listing may have its own start and finish, and some activities have a different format from the main conversations. Read the actual event details instead of assuming the headline festival dates tell you which nights to book or when to arrive.
For a one-day visit, choose the first event after a comfortable arrival and the last one before a realistic journey home. For an overnight trip, check the property’s arrival instructions and luggage arrangements. You may want to leave a bag before the room is ready or collect it after checkout; ask before depending on either service. Keep the booking conditions for the room, transport and festival together, since changing one does not automatically change the others.
Venues in Hay-on-Wye
The organiser’s winter travel page places the festival in the town centre, with Hay Castle and St Mary’s Church as the main venue references. The programme distinguishes the Castle Marquee, the Castle’s rooms and Richard Booth’s Bookshop Cinema for particular events. Check the room named on your ticket, not just the word “Castle”. An entrance or access arrangement for one space should not be carried over to another without asking.
Use the official winter travel information and the event listing together. Before putting two talks close together, include leaving the first room, collecting belongings and finding the next entrance. If an audience question or signing is important to you, leave space for it where the organiser offers one. A gap can be a welcome part of the visit, giving you time to talk about what you heard or simply sit down before the next session.
Tickets and the official box office
The official programme and tickets are the place to select events and read current conditions. Check the event title, date, room and any age guidance before paying. Do not assume that an online pass or a free activity includes a seat at an in-person conversation. A family event also needs its own accompanying-adult and admission checks. Keep the confirmation somewhere you can find without relying on a strong mobile signal at the door.
If a session is sold out, follow the organiser’s own availability route. Do not build a trip around the hope of finding an extra ticket when you arrive. Read the terms attached to the actual purchase, including any booking fee, exchange or return conditions. If your booking needs a wheelchair space, companion ticket or hearing support, contact the team before choosing seats so the ticket and support fit the same event.
Getting there
By train and onward connection
The festival identifies Hereford as the nearest railway station. Plan from there to the venue, not just to a rail destination named on a search result. The winter travel page links bus and other onward information; use the current operator or journey planner for your exact day and return. Its rail-operator names include older branding, so follow current railway information when buying your actual ticket. No journey time or onward seat is promised here.
Start with the last connection you would comfortably take. Include leaving the event, any bag collection and reaching the stop or pickup point. If the evening return does not fit, compare an earlier final event or a room in Hay. A wider accommodation base may change both the cost and the shape of every day. Ask about assistance through the transport operator’s own process if your journey depends on it.
By bus, taxi or shared transport
Check the winter travel page for its linked bus information and local taxi contacts. Read the timetable for the actual weekday and edition before relying on a service. A route described for a daytime arrival does not by itself confirm an evening return. If you arrange a taxi, agree the pickup point and time directly, particularly if you need a particular vehicle feature or are travelling with luggage.
A car-share or taxi-share enquiry is a way to look for a connection, not a confirmed part of your booking. Make sure any essential transfer is settled before purchasing an inflexible fare. For companions attending different events, agree which journey you will share and where to meet afterwards. Keep contact details and the accommodation address available offline as well as on a phone.
By car
The organiser’s winter parking information identifies Oxford Road and the Cattle Market. Read the current signs for payment, maximum stay and conditions when you choose a space. An app payment does not reserve a place. If parking is essential to your visit, leave enough margin to use an alternative without making the first session hurried. Ask your accommodation separately whether it provides a space and when you can use it.
Where to stay
Use the dedicated Winter Weekend stay guide to compare a town base with Hereford or Brecon. A room in Hay may suit a visit with several evening sessions; a wider base needs its own daily return. The three searches below are starting points, not promises about distance, availability or the features of a particular room. Confirm the address, rate and arrival arrangements before reserving.
Hay-on-Wye
Hereford
Brecon
Compare all stay areas for Hay Festival Winter Weekend
Food and breaks
Leave a meal break in the day before adding another ticket. Check the actual venue’s food and drink rules, and ask directly about a dietary requirement that affects your plans. A separate restaurant booking is another commitment to fit around the programme. For a short gap, think about what would let you eat and return comfortably without making the whole interval depend on a queue moving quickly.
If you are coming with someone whose programme differs from yours, a shared meal can be a good meeting point. Agree the place and time in advance and keep the event locations to hand. You can enjoy the same weekend without attending every session together. Leave room for a person who needs to stop, rest or return to the accommodation while the other carries on.
Accessibility
The winter access page describes a gently sloping compacted-gravel approach to the Castle Marquee from Oxford Road. Wheelchair spaces should be discussed when booking. It also describes hearing support at the Castle Marquee and St Mary’s Church, accessible toilets and a route for arranging carer tickets. Confirm the specific room and support you need rather than assuming every event has identical provision.
Ask the team about your complete visit: the entrance, queue, seat, toilet and way back to your accommodation. If you need interpretation or another arrangement requiring notice, contact the festival promptly and read the current instructions. Keep the reply with your ticket. Railway, accommodation and taxi support remain separate enquiries with their providers. An event booking does not automatically arrange those parts of the journey.
Plan your days
For a first day, choose one main conversation and a contrasting second event if the venues and intervals fit. Put a meal and the return journey into the plan before considering an evening performance. For a longer weekend, keep one part of the following day lighter so you have room to recover from travel or change the plan if the weather makes an outing less appealing.
If a cinema event interests you, read its duration and location before combining it with a talk. Avoid treating every blank space on the programme as something to fill. A relaxed conversation afterwards can be part of the reason for making a festival trip. The spring Hay guide describes the separate main festival; use the winter pages for this weekend’s specific venues and travel.
First-timer tips
Keep tickets, the room address and the last connection together. Choose clothing for moving between town venues and waiting outside as well as sitting indoors. Check the weather close to departure, charge your phone and save essential details offline. If you expect to buy books, think about carrying them alongside your other belongings. Ask about luggage storage if it would change which first or final event you can attend.
For a group, agree a meeting point that everyone recognises. If access to an entrance or a quieter waiting position matters, ask before travelling and tell the steward about the agreed arrangement. A short programme that fits your needs is a good first visit; there is no requirement to book every day or match somebody else’s timetable.
FAQs
Is this the spring Hay Festival?
No. This guide covers the separate town-centre Winter Weekend, 26–29 November 2026. Use the spring guide for the main festival and the winter organiser pages for this visit.
Can I travel by train?
Use Hereford as the rail reference and arrange the onward connection for your date. Check the return after your final event before buying an inflexible train ticket.
Where should I book festival tickets?
Book through the official Winter Weekend programme. Check the exact room, date, age guidance and conditions before paying; accommodation bookings do not include event admission.
Can you go to Hay Festival Winter Weekend without a ticket?
Tickets are needed for events; check the official box office for the session you want.
How far ahead should I book a room for Hay Festival Winter Weekend?
Keep a record of cancellation deadlines and review the stay when the event plan is settled. A reservation made before choosing sessions may need another look once the exact rooms and times are known. Read the payment schedule and what would happen if the group size changes. Keep accommodation and event admission separate: reserving a room does not supply festival tickets. Compare the stay advice.
Venue map
Festival venue map
- Hay Castle: Hay Castle, Oxford Road, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DG
- St Mary’s Church: St Mary’s Road, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EB
- Hereford station: Hereford station, Station Approach, Hereford, HR1 1BB
- Oxford Road car park: Oxford Road car park, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EQ
- Oxford Road bus stop: Bus stop at Oxford Road car park, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EQ
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Building locations; check the event entrance separately.