Books, a field and time in Hay
Hay Festival is a chance to build a few days around reading, conversation and the town itself. Its main Hay-on-Wye gathering takes place at Dairy Meadows, outside the centre, rather than inside a single town building. Plan for both parts of the visit: the events you want on the festival site and the time you would like among Hay’s streets and bookshelves.
The next Hay Festival runs from 27 May to 6 June 2027. This guide covers the main late-spring festival. Hay Festival also runs a separate Winter Weekend, so check that you are reading the right programme and travel information before reserving a room or a ticket. Official festival information.
Quick answers
Main site: Dairy Meadows, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5PJ. Official location
In 2026, Hay published its full spring programme on 9 March, with priority booking before general sale on 14 March. Check the official site for this year’s date. Official source
- When: usually late May into early June; next festival: 27 May–6 June 2027.
- Where: Dairy Meadows, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5PJ.
- Tickets: site entry is free, with individual event tickets and some free drop-in sessions.
- Railway: The nearest station is Hereford; allow time for the onward journey.
- Book ahead: select essential events first, then check accommodation and the complete return journey.
- What's on: see this year's highlights and the next festival's dates in What's on below.
What’s on
What it was like in 2026
These events took place in 2026. Explore the conversations, books and ideas that shaped the festival.
Fiction
Maggie O'Farrell talks to Sophie Raworth
· Global Stage
Maggie O’Farrell previewed Land, exploring love, loss and connections to place, and reflected on the film adaptation of Hamnet.
2026 event detailsAt 4 festivals in 2026
Matt Haig talks to Claudia Hammond
· Discovery Stage
Matt Haig discussed The Midnight Train, imagining a journey back through life’s decisive moments and asking what makes life worthwhile.
2026 event detailsAt 4 festivals in 2026
Douglas Stuart talks to Richard Coles
· Global Stage
Douglas Stuart discussed John of John with Richard Coles, exploring masculinity, the search for love and the dangers of family secrets.
2026 event detailsAt 3 festivals in 2026
History
Antony Beevor
· Global Stage
Antony Beevor examined Rasputin’s influence within the Russian imperial household, questioning the competing interpretations of his role in its downfall.
2026 event detailsAt 5 festivals in 2026
Tony Robinson talks to Kate Bliss
· Meadow Stage
Tony Robinson discussed The House of Wolf, explaining how his historical knowledge and acting experience shaped his first novel for adults.
Diarmaid MacCulloch talks to Misha Glenny
· Meadow Stage
Diarmaid MacCulloch explored two millennia of Christian attitudes to sexual desire, placing recent changes in their much longer historical context.
Politics and society
Malala Yousafzai talks to Anna Foster
· Global Stage
Malala Yousafzai discussed Finding My Way, reflecting on public life, finding her place and learning to live on her own terms.
Tim Berners-Lee talks to John Thornhill
· Global Stage
Tim Berners-Lee recalled creating the World Wide Web and discussed his call for collective action to protect its public purpose.
Nicola Sturgeon talks to Francine Stock
· Discovery Stage
Nicola Sturgeon looked back on her political career, discussing its achievements and regrets alongside the personal challenges of public life.
Food and gardens
Georgina Hayden talks to Holly O’Neill
· Creative Hub
Georgina Hayden demonstrated recipes from MEDesque and discussed Mediterranean cooking with Holly O’Neill in an evening combining conversation and tasting.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall talks to Jules Hudson
· Global Stage
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall discussed everyday vegetables, offering cooking ideas and explaining why fibre matters in tackling diet-related illness.
Sarah Raven talks to Tamsin Westhorpe
· Meadow Stage
Sarah Raven shared advice on planning, growing and arranging flowers, explaining how her garden supplies colour throughout the year.
Children and families
Rob Biddulph
· Discovery Stage
Rob Biddulph introduced The Last Wolf, shared his storytelling inspirations and creative beginnings, and led a live Draw with Rob session.
Age guidance: 8+ years
2026 event detailsAt 5 festivals in 2026
Cressida Cowell
· Discovery Stage
Cressida Cowell combined conversation and sketching while introducing the latest How to Train Your Dragon School adventure and its Viking heroes.
Age guidance: 7+ years
2026 event detailsAt 3 festivals in 2026
Michael Morpurgo in conversation with Clare Balding
· Discovery Stage
Michael Morpurgo discussed his retelling of Black Beauty with Clare Balding, considering its influence on War Horse and its equine perspective.
2026 event detailsAt 4 festivals in 2026
Poetry and conversation
Joseph Coelho
· Exchange Marquee
Joseph Coelho performed poems and led an interactive session of rhymes, tongue twisters and spoken-word exercises for young writers.
2026 event detailsAt 5 festivals in 2026
An Evening with Sandi Toksvig
· Global Stage
Sandi Toksvig celebrated writers and books through stories, readings from Friends of Dorothy and a quick-fire question-and-answer session.
2026 event detailsAt 2 festivals in 2026
Philippa Perry talks to Gaby Huddart
· Meadow Stage
Philippa Perry discussed her fiction debut, explaining how her work as a therapist influenced its central character and murder investigation.
2026 event detailsAt 5 festivals in 2026
More 2026 conversations
BBC Radio 4: Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics
· Exchange Marquee
Haynes performed a BBC Radio 4 recording about the ancient world.
2026 event detailsAt 2 festivals in 2026
(Mis)representation: Women’s Stories
· Discovery Stage
Harper and Ramirez discussed women’s stories with Ahmed.
2026 event detailsAt 2 festivals in 2026
Where Does Europe Fit in the New World Order?
· Global Stage
The panel explored Europe’s position in a changing international landscape.
2026 event detailsAt 2 festivals in 2026
Ten: Children Who Changed the World
· Exchange Marquee; ages 9+
Joseph introduced TEN Children Who Changed the World. Ages 9+.
2026 event detailsAt 3 festivals in 2026
Lionel Shriver with Nicola Cutcher
· Meadow Stage
Shriver discussed A Better Life with Cutcher.
2026 event detailsAt 2 festivals in 2026
Explore the full official 2026 programme.
Authors who appeared
About the festival
Hay Festival’s programme reaches beyond novels into subjects including science, politics, music, comedy and the arts. For a first visit, that breadth is useful: you can choose a favourite subject and then try something outside your usual reading. You do not need to turn the visit into a literary examination. Read the event description and choose the format you would enjoy. About Hay Festival.
A large choice of sessions makes a shortlist more useful than a packed timetable. Separate the event you would travel for from the ones you might enjoy if there is space. For a family visit, use the age information on individual listings and check who needs a ticket. For a group of adults, agree whether you want to attend everything together or meet between separate sessions.
Hay’s setting also rewards a visit that includes the town. Leave time outside the site rather than attempting to fit a town excursion into the smallest gap between talks. Carry only the books you are comfortable holding all day, and leave some capacity in your bag if browsing is part of the plan.
When it runs
The next festival runs from 27 May to 6 June 2027. Keep the official dates page as your reference before buying transport. Follow the organiser’s current announcements for the edition you intend to attend.
Choose whether you want a single concentrated day or a longer break. A day trip needs an onward connection from Hereford as well as the train itself. A stay in Hay gives you a different set of choices, while an out-of-town base requires checking the evening journey. Price the whole plan before deciding which option is better for you.
If reserving accommodation before events go on sale, read its cancellation conditions carefully. Keep a note of the deadline and revisit the reservation once your event choices are confirmed. Festival dates define the overall period, not a guarantee that your preferred topic or activity appears on every day.
Venues and the festival site
The main festival site is Dairy Meadows, a field near Hay-on-Wye. Its FAQ gives a ten-minute walk from the town centre. Allow extra time if you have luggage or need a particular entrance. Look at the current site plan and the venue name on each ticket when arranging your day. Festival FAQ.
The access information describes hard, covered boardwalks connecting the venues. This helps explain why a field-based festival is not simply an open walk across grass, but it does not remove the need to prepare for weather on your journey to and from the site. Comfortable footwear and a layer you can carry are sensible choices for a day moving between events.
Temporary venue names and arrangements should come from your edition’s programme. Make a note of the actual venue for each booking and familiarise yourself with the site before your first event. Do not rely on remembering a tent position from a previous year, and do not use a map pin as a promise of the correct accessible entrance.
Visitor map
Approximate building and site locations, not accessible routes or individual entrances.
Tickets and the official box office
The site is free to enter, but talks and other programmed sessions can need individual tickets. Free drop-in activities are identified in the listings. The organiser advises booking some events ahead while noting that availability may remain during the festival. Use the official programme and box office for the exact event and admission conditions.
Hay Festival membership offers priority booking under the current membership terms. Compare the benefits with your visit rather than assuming a membership guarantees the particular session you want. Open the live terms before paying and check your basket for dates, quantities and venue details.
Save tickets and confirmations before travelling. If your group arrives separately, agree who holds each ticket and whether it can be shared in advance through the permitted ticket format. Read any signing information for your event as a separate question: hearing a writer speak should not be taken as a guarantee of a personal meeting or a signed book.
Getting there
By train
The organiser names Hereford as the nearest railway station and puts it 21 miles from Hay. You therefore need to plan the connection, not just purchase a rail ticket. Its travel page links to rail operators and public transport information. Use the railway’s journey planner for your dates and leave room for the onward leg. Official travel information.
The travel page describes festival bus links, but the detailed timetable currently displayed is labelled for 2026. Check the 2027 bus arrangements before relying on a connection. Recheck the next published timetable before buying a train that relies on a particular bus. Allow for the return connection and the last journey you can comfortably make after your event.
By coach and bus
The festival’s travel page lists coach connections at Hereford and scheduled buses between Hereford, Hay and Brecon. Check the operator’s own current timetable for the day of the week you intend to travel. A daytime arrival route does not confirm that you can return after an evening session. If staying in another town, settle that question before booking the late event.
A festival-to-town shuttle has also been described by the organiser. Check the relevant edition’s travel page for operating arrangements and stops. Do not carry over a past fare, family concession or timetable. Ask the operator about accessibility if your connection depends on a particular vehicle feature, and retain the answer with your travel plan.
By car
The official travel page places Hay just off the A438 between Hereford and Brecon. Follow the current festival parking instructions for your edition rather than assuming town parking or the Winter Weekend instructions apply to the spring site. Check restrictions, payment methods and the walk from your chosen parking place before setting out.
Blue Badge arrangements are described on the festival access page, including the need to book designated parking ahead. Contact the box office if you need an accessible arrival and clarify where the passenger should be dropped off. Leave enough time to park, find the site and reach the correct venue without rushing the start of your day.
By bike
A cycling arrival still needs a practical end-of-day plan. Ask the festival about the permitted cycle parking for the edition you are attending and bring a lock. Consider lights, wet-weather protection and how many books you want to carry home. Keep boardwalks, entrances and access routes clear when arriving and leaving.
Where to stay
See all places to stay for Hay Festival
Hay-on-Wye
Start with Hay itself if your priority is combining the festival with time in town. Compare each property’s actual address with Dairy Meadows and the route you would use at the end of an evening. Ask about luggage storage, check-in, stairs and any particular room requirements before paying. Look early for festival stays, but choose cancellation terms that fit how firmly your plans are settled.
Hereford
Hereford is an option to compare if arriving by rail and using an onward bus. The key test is not simply the room price: compare the first useful outward service and the final return with your intended programme. Include fares in the total, and decide whether a gap in Hay would be better spent in town than trying to return to your room.
Brecon and the surrounding area
A Brecon-area base may suit a longer break in which the festival is only one part. Check your specific property’s transport link rather than assuming that every address has the same connection. If driving each day, add parking and the time involved to the accommodation comparison. Keep a countryside outing separate from a tightly scheduled festival day.
Check facilities, total price, payment and cancellation terms directly with the provider you choose.
Camping and glamping
Hay Festival names Tangerine Fields as its official camping partner. Start with the festival’s accommodation information for the current options, and check the booking conditions and facilities before choosing a camping stay.
Eating and drinking
The organiser’s food information describes a Festival Canteen, bar and coffee points around the site. That makes eating on site an option to investigate, without needing to promise a particular stall will return. For your edition, check the current list and ask a vendor directly about allergies or preparation requirements. Festival food and drink.
Give yourself a meal interval rather than relying on eating in the few minutes between sessions. If you prefer a meal in town, leave enough room for both journeys and the meal itself. A table reservation is not a reason to cut an event short without checking re-entry conditions. Carry water, keep food away from other visitors’ seats and choose a bag that is manageable around book displays.
Accessibility
The festival describes covered boardwalks, wheelchair access to site facilities and bookable wheelchair spaces. It also provides information about hearing support, accessible toilets, a quiet room and carer tickets. Contact the access team or box office about the combination you need, especially where a seat, parking space or interpreting arrangement must be organised in advance. Hay Festival access information.
The access page currently contains a dated interpreting request deadline, so use the live page and direct contact for the next edition rather than copying that deadline into your plan. Think about the complete chain from accommodation to transport to venue and back. If the route from town would be difficult, discuss the arrival arrangement as well as the event seat. Keep written confirmation with your tickets.
Plan your days
One day
Choose one essential event, then add a second only when you have checked the gap and travel home. Arrive early enough to find the site and read the signs. Leave a proper lunch interval and decide whether your free time belongs on the festival site or in town. A short visit works best when you do not try to do both repeatedly.
A weekend
Give one day to the festival and keep part of another for Hay itself. Hay Castle has its own exhibitions, visitor information and programme, so check its calendar separately before adding it. It is a separate attraction with separate arrangements, not an automatic inclusion in a festival ticket. Hay Castle visitor information.
If you want a wider outing, put it on a day with fewer bookings. Keep weather, transport and access requirements in mind, and be willing to choose a slower day rather than an overfull itinerary. A weekend can include reading time as well as a series of events; it is your break, not a completion exercise.
First-timer tips
- Check that the page you are reading is for the main festival, not the Winter Weekend.
- Plan the Hereford connection before fixing your first and final events.
- Take layers and weather protection for the journey beyond the covered site routes.
- Use the current site plan and ticket venue names.
- Book essential events before adding optional sessions.
- Ask about access and designated parking before buying unsuitable arrangements.
- Leave room in your day and your bag for books.
- Recheck the return transport before an evening event.
Hay Festival Winter Weekend
The Winter Weekend runs from 26 to 29 November 2026 in Hay-on-Wye. The programme is published, with individual event tickets available through the official Winter Weekend website. Use the winter travel and venue information when planning this visit.
Hay Festival also runs other events beyond Hay-on-Wye, each with its own location and programme. Explore the official festival calendar.
First-timer questions
Can I bring children?
Use the family and age guidance in the current programme to select suitable sessions. Check who needs a ticket and any accompanying-adult conditions for each event. Leave room for food, toilets and breaks, and avoid assuming that a session suitable for one child will suit every age in your group.
FAQs
When is Hay Festival?
The main Hay-on-Wye festival usually takes place in late May into early June. The next festival runs from 27 May to 6 June 2027. Check the official page before booking travel and choose individual sessions from the correct programme. The separate Winter Weekend has different dates and practical arrangements.
Where is the main festival held?
The main festival site is Dairy Meadows in Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5PJ. The organiser describes it as a ten-minute walk from the town centre. Check your own route and pace, and use the current site plan for temporary venue positions and entrances rather than relying on a previous visit’s layout.
Do I need a ticket to enter?
The festival site is free to enter, while programmed events may need individual tickets or be listed as free drop-in sessions. Read the exact listing for the activity you want. Site entry does not give you admission to every talk, and a ticket for one session does not cover another.
Which railway station should I use?
Hereford is the nearest station named by the organiser. There is an onward journey to Hay, so check the next festival bus information or the scheduled operator timetable before buying rail tickets. Plan the homeward connection first if you want to attend an evening event, rather than assuming a late service will run.
What should I check about accessibility?
Start with the festival access page, then contact the team about any essential arrangement such as wheelchair seating, hearing support, a carer ticket or designated parking. Ask about the whole visit, including getting from town to the site. Keep the reply with your booking rather than relying only on a general access description.
Can you go to Hay Festival without a ticket?
The festival site is free to enter, while programmed events may need individual tickets or be listed as free drop-in sessions. Read the exact listing for the activity you want. Site entry does not give you admission to every talk, and a ticket for one session does not cover another.
How far ahead should I book a room for Hay Festival?
Begin comparing rooms when the announced dates fit your diary. If you reserve before choosing events, read the cancellation deadline, payment schedule and change conditions for that rate. Revisit the accommodation once the programme is settled, keeping the room, travel and event purchases as separate bookings. Compare the stay advice.
Official sources
Festival dates, site, tickets, transport, catering and access are linked above. Hay Castle provides the separate attraction information. Consult the organiser again before booking because programmes, temporary layouts and travel arrangements can change between editions.
Official source links
- www.hayfestival.com
- www.hayfestival.com
- www.hayfestival.com
- www.hayfestival.com
- www.hayfestival.com
- www.hayfestival.com
- www.haycastletrust.org
- www.hayfestival.com
- Official festival source (checked 27 October 2026).
Sources checked 21 October 2026. Check the organiser and operators again before booking.