Voucher for 10% off Hay Festival 2026 events
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The world-renowned Hay Festival returns to Hay-on-Wye from 21–31 May 2026, with eleven unforgettable days of ideas, stories and inspiration. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, visitors can dive into a vibrant programme packed with thought-provoking talks, live performances and cultural experiences.
Writers, readers, thinkers and dreamers gather once more at Hay Festival on the edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Hay-on-Wye transforms into a vibrant hub of ideas, creativity and conversation, where every corner hums with storytelling, discovery and debate. From sunrise talks to late-night performances, the festival offers a unique atmosphere where curiosity leads the way and every visit feels different.
Plan Your Perfect Festival Experience
The site is completely free to enter, which means you can craft your own perfect Festival experience. Go along, soak up the sunshine and free pop-up performances, then cherry-pick your ticketed sessions. All event tickets are sold separately, so whether you fancy an afternoon with your favourite author, a comedy night out, or a full Festival weekend, you only book what you really want to see.
A World-Class Line-Up of Authors
With more than 500 events on sale, there’s something for everyone. Explore the best in new fiction from Ian McEwan, Ocean Vuong, Maggie O’Farrell, Ruth Ozeki, Samantha Harvey, Fredrik Backman, Douglas Stuart, Elizabeth Strout, Matt Haig and Ruth Jones. Debut novels arrive from psychotherapist Philippa Perry, poet Kae Tempest, and comedian Tom Allen, while Emma Thompson joins a stellar line-up celebrating 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Big Ideas and Powerful Conversations
Insights into our world today come from activists Malala Yousafzai, Gisèle Pelicot and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; politicians David Miliband and Nicola Sturgeon; and historians David Olusoga, Alice Roberts and Simon Schama. The UK’s National Year of Reading reaches its midpoint with special events featuring National Literacy Trust director Jonathan Douglas, while journalists Jeremy Bowen and Lyse Doucet explore global conflicts and routes to peace.
Music, Comedy and Unmissable Nights Out
Late nights at the Festival are given over to great music, comedy and entertainment – perfect for an evening out. Enjoy live sets from Gwenno, Johnny Flynn & Lillie Flynn, The Amy Winehouse Band and Welsh legend Aled Jones, who closes the Festival. Laughter comes from Michael McIntyre, Mel & Sue, Sara Pascoe, Tim Minchin, Sandi Toksvig, Miriam Margolyes, Tom Allen, Greg Davies, Alan Davies and dozens more.
New for 2026: My Life in Books
New this year, My Life in Books events see celebrities open their personal libraries with conversations featuring actor Emma Thompson, writer and podcaster Elizabeth Day, chef and businesswoman Prue Leith, actor Hugh Bonneville, columnist Caitlin Moran, satirist Ian Hislop, adventurer Bear Grylls, podcaster Jamie Laing and more.
Film, Stories and Screen Adaptations
The MUBI Cinema returns with daily screenings of acclaimed adaptations, and there are conversations exploring the art of adaptation featuring Wuthering Heights director Emerald Fennell and Hamnet author-screenwriter Maggie O’Farrell. The actors and creatives behind The Other Bennet Sister go behind the scenes of the BBC’s new hit series.
A Treat for Food Lovers
Food lovers can enjoy tastings, talks and demonstrations from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Georgina Hayden and local producers including Slow Food Cymru Wales, Hay Distillery, Black Mountains Botanicals, Neal’s Yard Creamery, Lucky 7 Beer Co and The Beefy Boys.
Plenty of Family Fun
There’s more than ever for families to enjoy with free pop-up entertainment in the Family Garden and a jam-packed family programme. Daily craft sessions in the Make & Take Hub encourage young people to get creative and Festival events inspire young minds featuring Children’s Laureate Wales Nicola Davies, Cressida Cowell, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Elgan Rhys, Mared Roberts, Russell Kane, Caryl Lewis, Sheila Kanani, and more. Major celebrations mark 100 years of Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear, while Michael Rosen and MC Grammar present a riotous celebration of words, and a spoken word gala features Emma Thompson, Larry Lamb, and Paterson Joseph, performing alongside pupils from local schools.
Lots to See & Do
Throughout the Festival, new genre days spotlight the most popular fiction: Crime Day leads with Val McDermid, Graphic Novel Day features Neill Cameron’s Phoenix Comic Book Draw-Off, and Fantasy Day celebrates otherworldly fiction with Samantha Shannon and Saara El-Arifi.
Between events, explore the free-to-enter site filled with pop-up performances, the Bookshop, BBC Marquee, Wild Garden, Make & Take Hub, exhibitors, market stalls and cafés. Come for an evening, a day, a weekend or the whole 11 days – the Festival is what you make it.
SPECIAL READER OFFER
Enjoy 10% off all events with an exclusive South Wales Magazine offer.
Use code SWHF2026 at the checkout to claim your discount.*
Dive into the full programme and plan your visit hayfestival.org/hay-on-wye.
*Valid for 10% off Hay Festival 2026 event tickets until 23:59 on 20 May 2026, excludes E-gift cards, parking, lounge passes, books and general gift shop items. Cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts or offers.