Hay Festival 2026 closed Sunday 31 May after record numbers enjoyed more than 600 events with writers, thinkers and performers over 11 days.
Held at the Festival’s free-to-enter site in Hay-on-Wye, the event launches the best new fiction and non-fiction books, while offering insights and debate around significant global issues, world-class comedy and music, and a vibrant programme of pop-up events, workshops, and activities for all ages.
In numbers, the Festival saw more than 210K tickets issued, up 5 per cent on last year; 70K books sold, up 35 per cent; and almost 7,500 school pupils attended the free Schools Days.
Headliners included activists Malala Yousafzai, Gisèle Pelicot, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Sarah Wynn-Williams; actors Emma Thompson, Miriam Margolyes, Ashley Walters, Hugh Bonneville; writers Ian McEwan, Maggie O’Farrell, Ruth Ozeki, Samantha Harvey, Ocean Vuong, Val McDermid, Colm Tóibín, Fredrik Backman, Cressida Cowell, Tayari Jones, Douglas Stuart, Elizabeth Day, Elizabeth Strout, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Matt Haig, Siri Hustvedt; policy experts David Miliband, Nicola Sturgeon, Louise Casey; comedians Dawn French, Michael McIntyre, Sara Pascoe, Tim Minchin, Sandi Toksvig, Tom Allen, Greg Davies, Alan Davies, Paul Merton, Suki Webster; historians Alice Roberts, David Olusoga, Zakia Sewell, Serhii Plokhy, Simon Schama; artist Charlie Mackesy; poets Kae Tempest, Michael Rosen, MC Grammar; chefs Mary Berry, Prue Leith; and many more.
Hay Festival Medals were awarded to a quartet of changemakers – Malala Yousafzai (Education), Emma Thompson (Drama), Michael Rosen (Poetry) and Jeremy Bowen (Journalism) – while a special visit from Wales’ Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport Heledd Fychan MS spotlighted the Festival’s important role in showcasing culture in Wales.
Hay Festival Global CEO Julie Finch said:
“Over the past two weeks artists and audience members have inspired us, on stage and off. Under radiant May sunshine, the world’s greatest storytellers have taken us on a journey of imagination and hope – crossing borders with empathy, tackling complex issues with nuanced conversation, and posing bold solutions to the shared challenges of our times.
“In this National Year of Reading – and as we look ahead to our 40th anniversary year in 2027 – we are buoyed up by the passion for literature on display. Our book sales have never been stronger. It’s a reminder that we need our writers more than ever and our readers to stand with them in defence of these spaces of free expression.”
Hay Festival bestsellers (general):
1. Gisèle Pelicot – A Hymn to Life
2. Maggie O’Farrell – Land
3. Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon – The Future Is Peace
4. Elizabeth Strout – The Things We Never Say
5. Malala Yousafzai – Finding My Way
6. Tim Minchin – You Don’t Have to Have a Dream
7. Ian McEwan – What We Can Know
8. Douglas Stuart – John of John
9. Tim Spector – Ferment
10. Natalie Haynes – No Friend to This House
11. Matt Haig – The Midnight Train
12. Ocean Vuong – The Emperor of Gladness
13. Sophie Raworth – Running on Air
14. Dawn French – Enough
15. Karen Hao – Empire of AI
16. Colm Tóibín – The News From Dublin
17. Zakia Sewell – Finding Albion
18. Ruth Jones – By Your Side
19. Alan Davies – White Male Stand-Up
20. Sian Williams – The Power of Anxiety
Hay Festival bestsellers (children’s/YA):
1. Michael Rosen and MC Grammar – Ridiculous Raps And Rhymes
2. Sarah Crossan – Gone For Good
3. Neil Cameron – Donut Squad: Make A Mess
4. Neil Cameron – Donut Squad: Take Over The World
5. Hugh Bonneville – Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room
6. Cressida Cowell – Fight of the Flamestrike
7. Matt Goodfellow – Six Weeks
8. Katherine Rundell – The Poisoned King
9. Yassmin Abdel-Magied – Silverbook: Yumna and The Golden Horse
10. Emma Carroll – Dracula and Daughters
A series of new initiatives and fresh programming strands featured across the programme:
- My Life in Books events saw celebrities open their personal libraries
- Heard at Hay Festival panels sparked thought-provoking debates
- America 250 conversations reflected on the changing face of a nation
- The Pleasure List campaign celebrated the joys of reading
- New Genre days spotlighted bestselling fiction
- Barrel of Laughs sessions spotlighted funny people with new books
- Book to Screen events showcased adaptations in the MUBI Cinema
- Debut Discoveries series spotlighted new writing talent
- The Platform elevated new creatives
- Matters of Taste demos took food from page to stage
- Creative Industry Insights sessions engaged budding young creatives
- South to North Conversations explored international perspectives
Alongside the best new fiction and non-fiction, our changing world was drawn into focus with commentary from leading politicians, economists, historians and scientists, while journalists and commentators digested the UK’s recent local elections and looked ahead.
Nights at the Festival were given over to great music, comedy and entertainment with a renewed focus on innovative, immersive event experiences, while a host of free pop-up activities and performances delighted audiences between sessions.
Free to enter, the Festival’s Dairy Meadows site in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park also offered a range of spaces for audiences to explore and enjoy between events, including the Bookshop, BBC Marquee, Wild Garden, Make & Take Hub, a host of exhibitors and market stalls, cafés, and the Family Garden.
Next up, Hay Festival After Hours takes place in Birmingham on Thursday 23 July. And Hay Festival international editions this autumn include events in Mexico, Spain, Peru, and Ukraine, meanwhile the Hay Festival Book Club continues with free monthly events online.
For those who couldn’t access the free events in person, sessions were also streamed free online, with closed captioning available at hayfestival.org/schools, and available free after the event at hayfestival.org/anytime.
