2010 Hay Festival of Literature and Arts

Hay Festival Field

Three years ago I mentioned the annual literature festival happening every May in the small Welsh border town of Hay-on-Wye.

Hay Festival This year’s event is currently in full swing and I’m following the proceedings on blogs, podcasts and Twitter. There’s a wonderfully charged intensity about the people who attend – relishing the excuse to rub shoulders with the famous, celebrate English eccentricity, and drink Pimms, as shown in these tweets:

@JillLawless My best celeb spot in three days at #hayfestival? Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet queuing for Alain de Botton talk.

@siwhitehouse Early points scored. Just seen a bloke with a cream linen jacket, chinos, a straw boater and a cravat. #Hay

@katheastman Seen Jon Snow & Ed Miliband so far wandering around at #hayfestival – spent 15 mins debating latter’s sex appeal. Damn this Pimms is good.

There’s dozens of talks, musical performances and impromptu events daily, each with a separate entrance fee. One lady reported she spent £500 on tickets.

My picks from the program were these 33 talks which I would have liked to have seen if I wasn’t 6,000 miles away. Oh well, they make a good annotated reading list for the year ahead.

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