Once a year is just not enough for the Hay Festival and all its fascinating guests, so this winter they’ve done it again. For three days the little town will be transformed as hoards of bookworms come to listen to their famous authors, politicians, lecturers, comedians and some great live music too.
Here’s our guide to what we think will be the highlights this year at the Hay Winter Festival, we've had inside information that Patrick Barkham's Badgerlands could be interesting based on the controversy we have seen this year and for all you Archers lovers Joanna Toye is not to be missed!
Friday 29th November, 2013
2.30pm, The Swan - Ranulph Fiennes The world's greatest living explorer will be talking about his new book Cold which celebrates the lives dedicated to researching and exploring some of the most hostile and brutally cold places on Earth.
8pm, The Castle - Thrill Collins This British acoustic trio officially kick off the festival with a performance that will surely be unmissable. They have played all over Europe and even provided the opening set at Glastonbury 2013.
Saturday 30th November, 2013
9.30am-11.30am, The Swan - Women in business: Start your own Chaired by Country Living's former Deputy Editor, this food themed event looks at the success stories of three local producers: Trumper's Tea, Forage Fine Foods and Cradoc's Savoury Biscuits.
1.30pm, The Swan - David Reynolds Historian and lecturer at Cambridge University, Reynolds will introduce his new book The Long Shadow which re-examines the differing impacts of WWII and how as a nation we are still recovering.
3.05pm, The Swan - Patrick Barkham's Badgerlands - hyped in national press as a christmas highlight, Barkham delves into the fascinating natural and rich cultural history of the animal – from their prehistoric arrival in Britain to their savage persecution over the centuries, the cuddliness of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows character and the cull of 2013.
4.35pm, The Swan - Vicky Pryce After a year heavily exposed by the media, here Pryce uses her personal experiences and professional understanding, Pryce discusses the cost of keeping women in prison on the economy.
5.55pm, The Swan - Jasper Fforde The Hay favourite Jasper Fforde, comic crime thriller author reveals his latest novel, The Song of the Quarkbeast.
Sunday 1st December, 2013
2.05pm, The Swan - John Lloyd The legendary producer of Blackadder, Not The Nine O'Clock News and QI discusses his successor, Afterliff, to the 1983 classic.
3.35pm, The Swan - Michael Rosen The former children's laureate, novelist, TV presenter, columnist, poet and author of over 140 books introduces his new book Alphabetical which will change the way you think about letters forever.
4.55pm, The Swan - Joanna Toye Everyone loves The Archers, so come and find out the history as we celebrate the world’s longest running radio serial.
9pm, Hay Castle - Peregrine String Quartet End the festival on a high note and enjoy the popular classics for a wonderful evening of fabulous music and drinks at the Castle bar.
For more events happening in the Brecon Beacons read here.
