About HowTheLightGetsIn
More than 300 events sit across the 2027 programme. From 28-31 May, HowTheLightGetsIn is in Hay-on-Wye at Newport Street, HR3 5BZ, as a cultural festival built around philosophy, music, comedy, debate, culture and performance. The scale runs to 150 speakers and 100 performers.
The festival dates back to 2010. By 2011 it had added a new field and new venues, and a 2020 edition was planned for around 25,000 people across the weekend.
Lineup and Programme
The bill leans into ideas as much as stages. Programme strands cover debates and talks, live music, comedy, Inner Circle breakfasts and salons, long-table banquets, wellbeing sessions and children’s workshops.
Named spaces include Arena, Stage, International, The Hat, The Ring, Cinema Tent, Mindcraft Tent, Riverside Disco, Waterfront, Bohemia, Front Room, Pooka’s Garden, The Park, Sandpit, IAI Academy and IAI Sixth Form.
Who Is It For?
The crowd is adult-skewing, roughly 21 to 60, with a younger tilt after 7pm. Daytime programming is family-friendly, with children’s workshops and live entertainment on the programme.
Children under 12 can attend free when accompanied by adults. Student and U25 tickets require ID.
The Venue and Site
The Hay-on-Wye site sits just off Newport Street on the River Wye. Festival parking and camping are beside the Riverside site, and the town-centre Globe at Hay is about a five-minute walk away.
On-site accommodation includes yurt and glamping options, with adjacent campsite and parking areas. Tents are not allowed in the parking field, and camper vans and motorhomes are not accommodated.
Facilities include boutique showers and toilets, a beauty parlour with hairdryers and mirrors, Wi-Fi across the festival site, water refill stations, recycling bins and food and drink across the site.
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