Hay Festival Winter Weekend
Four festive days of ideas, stories, music and family events across Hay-on-Wye.
Four festive days in the booktown
As the nights draw in, Hay-on-Wye welcomes Hay Festival Winter Weekend 2026: four days of conversation, comedy, music and ideas from 26–29 November. From fiction and festivities to cooking and current affairs, the programme brings writers and thinkers together to celebrate the season.
Events take place across the town, from the 400-seat marquee in the grounds of Hay Castle to the candlelit interior of St Mary’s Church, on the edge of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons).
Explore the 2026 programme
Plan your Winter Weekend visit
When: Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November 2026.
Where: Venues across Hay-on-Wye, including Hay Castle, the Castle Marquee and St Mary’s Church. Check the venue for each event when booking.
Tickets: Booking is open. Buy individual tickets for the events you wish to attend; prices and times vary. Some pop-up music performances are free.
Planning: Check the official programme for event times, age guidance and availability, and the visitor information for accessibility, travel and parking.
Make a weekend of it in Hay-on-Wye
Stay longer to enjoy Hay’s independent bookshops, cafés, restaurants and festive shopping, then explore the Black Mountains and the wider national park. Where the Wye Wanders offers handpicked places to stay and local experiences around Hay-on-Wye and the Wye Valley.
Find accommodation with Where the Wye Wanders
Comedy, celebrity conversations and family fun
Caroline Quentin shares her illustrations and words as she invites us to reconnect with nature, while Maxine Peake explores the books that have shaped her life. The Great Pottery Throwdown’s Keith Brymer Jones takes a look at the surprising history of pottery. Lucy Porter joins Kiri Pritchard-McLean for a humorous celebration of middle-aged women.
Bring the children – or your inner child – to meet BBC Radio 1 DJ and bestselling author Greg James and his writing partner Chris Smith. Their Saturday event is an energetic, interactive introduction to their new festive book, Secret Santa.
Explore comedy and family events
Music and performance
David Gray joins conservationist Mary Colwell for an evening of music and conversation inspired by nature. At St Mary’s Church, the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera is accompanied live on the organ by former Hay parish priest Father Richard. Olivia Harrison offers a look inside the world of The Beatles through George Harrison’s candid photographs.
Simon Armitage brings the ancient epic Gilgamesh to life and later leads a literary reinvention of Nine Lessons and Carols with special guests. Free pop-up music sessions in Hay Castle’s Great Hall provide interludes between events throughout the weekend.
Image: Michael Poll performing at a previous Winter Weekend. Photograph: Adam Tatton-Reid / Hay Festival.
Explore music and performance
Novelists and storytelling
Kate Mosse celebrates the season in Autumn: The Story of a Season, while Nick Harkaway, son of John le Carré, returns to George Smiley in The Taper Man. Lucy Foley joins Cathy Rentzenbrink to explore Agatha Christie’s enduring appeal and the first authorised Miss Marple novel since Christie’s own.
Wine expert Olly Smith introduces his debut Death by Noir, Liv Little shares Bitter Melon and Susan Stokes-Chapman presents her festive collection The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Explore author conversations
Politics, history and science
Luke Harding explores the global effects of Trump and Putin. Scotland’s former First Minister Humza Yousaf reflects on leading a country while his own family faced crisis, and David Olusoga chairs a review of the year’s biggest news stories.
Hear British Museum curators discuss the Bayeux Tapestry, join Jack Lewis for his graphic novel about the Aberfan disaster or hear Lucian Msamati and Dominic Dromgoole discuss the history of British theatre. Jim Al-Khalili explores time in On Time, while former Buddhist monk Sam Yo shares practical ways to find calm and clarity in The Monk’s Mindset.
Explore talks and ideas
Food for thought
MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers shares 100 recipes built around 12 star ingredients, including citrus, tomatoes, chillies, beans, cinnamon and chocolate, with ideas to brighten winter cooking.
The Hebridean Baker, Coinneach MacLeod, brings a flavour of Scotland to Christmas, with recipes including Chicken Braemar with Whisky Sauce, Gingerbread Tiramisu and Clementine Margaritas.
Explore food conversations
