HowTheLightGetsIn Hay returns from 22–25 May 2026 to the book-town idyll of Hay-on-Wye on the banks of the River Wye, bringing together some of the most provocative minds on the planet for a long weekend of debate, discovery, music and comedy.

Billed as the world’s largest philosophy and music festival, the event blends intellectual intensity with cultural energy, inviting festival-goers to shift between dense philosophical debate, high-spirited comedy and live performance in a way few other UK festivals attempt.

At the heart of the programme is the Big Ideas strand: a sprawling lineup of speakers curated to spark curiosity and challenge assumptions.

The first wave of confirmed speakers spans global thought leaders from philosophy, politics, science and culture. Figures include Cornel West, the revolutionary voice for democracy and justice; Slavoj Žižek, one of the most provocative philosophers alive; Zarah Sultana, a leading voice on the British left; Cory Doctorow, digital rights advocate and author; Lera Boroditsky, whose work on language and cognition reframes how we understand thought; Karl Friston, whose free-energy principle reshapes neuroscience; Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, veteran commentator on race and identity; and Rosi Braidotti, a preeminent posthumanist thinker.

These names alone hint at the intellectual breadth on offer, from ethics and politics to cognition and cosmology.

Debates remain the beating heart of the festival, bringing thinkers with radically different perspectives into conversation on subjects that matter now: the future of democracy, the nature of consciousness, the ethics of technology, climate responsibility and the role of the humanities.

Sessions range from large-stage clashes to intimate long-table discussions where audiences can pose questions and enter the conversation themselves.

But HowTheLightGetsIn isn’t all ideas at a lectern. Long-standing festival tradition includes a vibrant music and performance programme, with live bands, DJs and avant-garde acts on multiple stages.

Past editions have featured contemporary artists such as Clean Bandit, Hot Chip and Donovan, alongside eclectic performers that bridge genres and draw festival audiences beyond the intellectual core of the event.

The festival’s comedy offer adds levity to the intellectual heft.

Comedians and cabaret performers bring sharp wit and incisive humour to the weekend, reminding attendees — as one past review noted — that “laughing until your sides hurt” is an essential part of the HowTheLightGetsIn experience, providing balance to spirited debate and late-night philosophical pondering.

Set against the rolling hills and literary heritage of Hay-on-Wye, the festival atmosphere is both reflective and celebratory: a place where “ideas flourish” not just in lecture tents but in conversations by the river, at late-night club sets, or over shared laughter in the comedy marquee.

For anyone curious about how we think, why we believe what we do, and what’s next for culture, politics and science in an uncertain world, HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2026 promises a rich tapestry of insight, sound, humour and community.

Book tickets here: <a href=”https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/hay/festival-passes”>howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/hay/festival-passes</a>.