How to Hay
With so much to do and see in its 10-day run, the Hay Literature Festival can feel a bit overwhelming at times. To help first-timers out, Buzz has asked a number of veterans of the festival how best to cope, as well as their best memories of past visits.
The Scummy Mummies, podcasters/comedians
Last year was our first time! We enjoyed just wandering about and soaking up the atmosphere. Also photobombing Monty Don during his book signing in our gold catsuits. While waiting backstage just as we were about to start, Ellie was desperate for a wee – but there were no loos. So she ended up peeing in a potty we use as a prop, while Helen protected her modesty by holding up a dressing gown. It was an incredibly glamorous showbiz moment, and super in keeping with the sophisticated highbrow tone of Hay.
Dylan Jones, editor of GQ
The best thing to do is select who you want to see and book online ASAP, then book a hotel room or hire a cottage, and then pack clothes for every season just in case. Then, simply prepare to be enthralled by the greatest literary festival experience you can imagine. This year, I’m looking forward to Michael Wolff, Tony Parsons, Bear Grylls, Owen Sheers and Chelsea Clinton. As for previous years, one particularly moving event was interviewing Tom Jones about the death of his wife. When he started crying, 1500 other people did too…
Allie Esiri, writer and author of A Poem For Every Day Of The Year
Come early, stay late. Come again another day. Think of it as a holiday for the mind and leave plenty of time for the bookshop. One of my most memorable Hay experiences was not meeting Gary Kasparov. To explain – I was too starstruck to talk to him but just seeing him backstage in the Green Room was up there.
Sam Lee, singer-songwriter
Book your tickets as much as possible in advance but leave space to be spontaneous; if you can bring a bike to cycle in and out of the festival site, that’s always a good thing to beat the crowds. And make sure you get a walk up Hay Bluff – I am a huge fan of Les Amazones d’Afrique so well worth catching them. I’m hoping to make Jonathan Porritt’s talk too. I have been to Hay Festival most years for most of my life as I grew up in Craswall, the valley below Hay, and I always love sneaking off from the site and heading to the river and swimming. There are some super secluded spots you can get a good swim in: The Warren is a favourite place for many.
Laia Jufresa, writer and part of Hay Festival’s new Bogota 39 selection of Latin America’s best emerging writers
I’d recommend approaching the festival like a library. If you go directly for what you already know you may miss out on discoveries. Follow your instincts and get into any tent, event or workshop that catches your eye. I was very lucky to be writer in residence at the festival two years ago and I interviewed the staff. As a visitor, you hardly notice the vast quantity of people working behind scenes to make it all work. Behind each tent there’s a team of people making it all happen, and behind these people there are enormous pastures full of sheep.
Rachael Jolley, editor of Index On Censorship
This year, do anything you can to sneak a ticket to see Margaret Atwood. Steal a ticket from a friend. One of the great thinkers of the world. Otherwise, if you have heard about the secret wild swimming, then you have heard correctly. Find it.
Misha Glenny, journalist
My advice is don’t try to scramble for the tickets which are likely to be oversubscribed. Go for the unusual, for things that you might normally not be interested in. All the authors or performers at Hay have a story to tell and you can be guaranteed that each one will be interesting because otherwise they wouldn’t have made it to Hay in the first place. One of my favourite past experiences – there is nothing quite so challenging as trying to keep an audience interested during a thunderstorm. I am praying for decent weather this year.
Hay-On-Wye Literature Festival, Thurs 24 May-Sun 3 June. Tickets: varies depending on event. Info: www.hayfestival.com
photo Elisabeth Broekaert