Hay Festival Winter Weekend line up announced

Happening in Hay-on-Wye from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 November, the Hay Festival Winter Weekend is Hay on a smaller, more cosy scale, while a newly added venue doubles the capacity, and the weekend has now stretched to include Thursday (shouldn’t all weekends do that?).

“Come and join us in Hay for fireside storytelling and feasting. The town is decked in Christmas lights and glistening with winter cheer for a celebration of scrumptious food, glorious vintage clothing and high times. Bring a story, bring a new idea, bring a friend. Everyone is welcome," says Peter Florence, Director of Hay Festival.

There’s a real focus on the natural world with Horatio Clare talking about his book Icebreaker: A Journey For North and Patrick Barkham discussing Islander: A Journey Around Our Archipelago. Robert Penn will wax lyrical on all things forest, with his book Woods: A Celebration while Monty Don pops up with his new book as well, Down to Earth: Gardening Wisdom.

Aside from the natural world, authors Matt Haig, Jeanette Winterson and Owen King (son of Stephen) will be talking about their latest novels, Tim Smit, CEO of the Eden Project will present his autobiography, Beyond Eden and former National Poet of Wales and Hay Festival Medal for Poetry winner, Gillian Clarke, presents her new collection Zoology, alongside a whole slew of amazing Welsh poets there to celebrate her 80th birthday.

But it’s not all about talks. The Hay Festival Winter Weekend has other delights up its sleeves. The Hay Christmas lights get turned on on Friday 24 November, there’s a one day food festival on Saturday 25 November and on Sunday 26 November Hay Does Vintage with over 50 traders covering fashion to furniture. Plus there are arts and crafts workshops for children and adults alike and plenty of music to go round.

Tickets go on sale on 19 October.