Full programme announced
FAQs
FESTIVAL INFORMATION:
When is the festival?
HowTheLightGetsin Hay 2025 is running from 23rd-26th May 2025. Festival tickets will provide access to a huge range of events, including debates, talks, music, comedy, academy and late night parties.
When does the site open and close?
Our festival site will open at 1pm on Friday 23rd and close at 5pm on Monday 26th.
Where is the festival?
HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2025 is set in a magical location on the edge of the Black Mountains, alongside the river Wye in the famed book town of Hay. The site is located just off Newport Street, HR3 5BZ. It is about a 5 minute walk from the Globe at Hay, Newport St, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5BG.
Can children come to the festival?
Yes, and under 12s do not need a festival ticket to gain entry to the site.
Is the festival accessible for people with disabilities?
For full and in-depth information regarding our disability adjustments please refer our Disability Policy on the ‘INFO’ page
Can pets come to the festival?
No, pets are not permitted on the festival site. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), with prior agreement, can be brought onto site.
Are dogs allowed on site?
The festival recognises accredited guide dogs & assistance dogs which have been trained by a member of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) or Assistance Dogs International (ADI). Please refer our Disability Policy on the ‘INFO’ page for the details regarding this.
Can I bring a campervan onto the campsite?
Unfortunately, due to licensing reasons and to ensure safe access to our festival pitches, we cannot allow vehicles on the campsite. This includes campervans.
How can I book parking?
Parking is available to book via our extras page.
TICKETS
How do I gain entry to the site?
To gain entry to HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2025, please use your unique confirmation code (HA__) found in your confirmation email. You will need to show this code to our team at the box office. You do not need to print your ticket nor do you receive physical tickets for our festival.
I'm having problems buying my ticket! Can you help?
If you're having any issues purchasing your ticket, please email enquiries@artandideas.org with the subject line 'Ticket Issue'. Please state the issue as well as your phone number and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
How do I apply my discount?
You can apply all discounts at checkout if you open 'Click here for offers/ insider codes'. Only one discount can be used per ticket. If you have a Friends Discount, you will need to enter your code at checkout. Student and under 25 tickets can be added to your basket on our festival passes page. Please note that discounts are only valid for HowTheLightGetsIn Festival Tickets.
I can no longer attend the festival, can I have a full refund?
Our terms and conditions, details of which you can find here, state that we cannot refund tickets.
ON SITE
Are food and drinks available at the festival?
Yes, we have a wide range of caterers on our festival site.
Am I allowed to bring my own food and drink in?
You are not allowed to bring in your own food and drink. For exceptional circumstance requests and queries regarding our food and drink policy, please email enquiries@artandideas.org
What facilities are available on-site (restrooms, first aid, etc.)?
We provide a wide range of on-site facilities, including toilets, water stations, food vans, first aid, merchandise stalls, charity stalls, bars and food vendors.
What is the festival’s policy on prohibited items?
We have a strict no-drug policy on site and will not tolerate any use. We do not allow alcohol to be brought onto site and will be confiscated on entry.
Is there a lost and found?
You can retrieve any lost property at our box office.
Fast Passes
Your festival ticket grants access to the core programme, including solo talks, debates, and Hat sessions, which make up the majority of events. However, due to limited venue capacities—especially in smaller spaces like the Hat and Ring—Fast Passes are available for an additional fee to guarantee priority entry.
Fast Passes can be purchased directly from the festival programme, which will be released online in August. If there’s a particular event you don’t want to miss, we strongly recommend securing a Fast Pass in advance.
Where is the festival?
Our Hay-On-Wye site is located just off Newport Street, HR3 5BZ. It is about a 5 minute walk from the Globe at Hay, Newport St, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5BG.
How can I travel to the festival site?
Car:
Hay-on-Wye is situated between Brecon and Hereford, off the A438. For the
festival site, cross the bridge into Hay and turn left. Follow signs to the Festival
Site. Head for HR3 5BZ.
By train / bus:
The nearest railway station is Hereford, about twenty miles away. Our travel
partner, Great Western Railway, runs direct trains to Hereford from Paddington. Book ahead and save over 50% on train tickets at GWR.com or on their app. Plus no booking fees when you book direct.
The bus service from Hereford Station and Brecon to Hay-on-Wye (T14) is frequent with
additional services for the period of the festival.
Where can I park?
HowTheLightGetsIn Yurt camping and parking is immediately opposite the
Riverside site. Enter by the East Gate when arriving by car. You will need to book for our campsite parking.
Disabled Parking can be accessed via the trader and performer entrance which is
signposted on the left after the Coop.
Getting around Hay / Herefordshire:
Julie’s Taxis 07899 846 592
A2B Taxis 01874 658 899
A1 Cabs 07910 931 999
Terms & Conditions
This ticket is issued by TVF Limited on behalf of the Institute of Art and Ideas, henceforth the "organisers", and is subject to the terms and conditions indicated on this ticket or displayed at the "venue", HowTheLightGetsIn Festival. Purchasers should note that this ticket is sold by the organisation responsible for the event.
Purchase and possession of a ticket signifies agreement to the following conditions:
1. This ticket is issued subject to the rules and regulations of the organisation, operators and management of the venue.
2. Every person entering the event must have a valid ticket.
3. Ticket holders are required to carefully check their tickets in advance of their visit; mistakes may not be rectified on the day.
4. The organisers reserve the right to refuse entry of the ticket holder to the event site. Customers found to be causing damage to the site, the site infrastructure, causing harm to any other person on site or in breach of these conditions will be subject to prosecution.
5. The organisers reserve the right to search all persons and personal property and refuse admission to, or eject from, the site any person who refuses to be searched by a security official.
6. This ticket is not transferable. No money will be refunded or tickets exchanged after purchase unless the event is cancelled. In the event of cancellation, the promoter’s sole obligation and liability shall be to offer a ticket for an alternative performance by the relevant artist, if available, or a full refund of the face value of this ticket. No other claims will be entertained. You will be contacted directly about cancellations at the email address used for your booking. Any questions about your claim should be directed to enquiries@artandideas.org.
7. No duplicate tickets or wristbands will be issued in the event of loss.
8. Admission to the site and performance is at the ticket holder’s own risk. Neither the promoter nor the site management shall be held liable for any injury or damage sustained within the site.
9. Ticket holders give their express consent to the use of their actual or simulated likeness in connection with the production, exhibition, advertising or exploitation of any film, video and/or audio recording of this event and/or any element thereof in any/all media throughout the world. This includes filming by the police or security which may be carried out for the security of customers.
10. The event promoter reserves the right to make any change whatsoever to the act programme owing to any unforeseen or unavoidable cause.
11. Neither the venue nor the organisation can accept responsibility for lost or stolen property.
12. The possession of this ticket shall constitute an acceptance by the holder of these conditions and imply an undertaking on the part of the holder to observe them. In the event of any breach of these conditions, the event promoter reserves the right to cancel this ticket and retain any monies paid theretofore.
13. Other than the provisions advertised or outlined by the box office at the time of sale, customers are required to address any special needs by contacting the box office in advance of their visit, as the event promoter may not be able to provide those needs without notice.
14. We do not store credit card details nor do we share customer details with any 3rd parties.
15. Paper lanterns shall not be brought onto or used on the festival site under any circumstances.
16. No dogs are allowed on the festival site, except guide and service dogs. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are permitted on site should the owner have an approved pre-registration form.
17. All accommodation bookings are final and non-refundable. No refund or offer of exchange or rollover will be given by the company in the event of the booking not being fulfilled.
Disability Access
At HowTheLightGetsIn, we strive to ensure that everyone can enjoy the event, so we try our best to make the festival site as accessible as possible.
Festival Site
HowTheLightGetsIn takes place on the bank of the River Wye. The area is predominantly grass, with limited hard standing pathways. In the event of bad weather, mud and puddles are likely.
There will be some hardened pathways covering the main walking routes through the site, but just as we prepare for all conditions we do ask that you do to. So please consider the ground conditions and unpredictable British weather when deciding what facilities, you may need and what equipment you need to bring.
We will of course have dedicated Disabled Toilets - location TBC closer to the time of the festival.
Car Park Access
There will be an on-site car park with dedicated Disabled spaces. We will confirm details of how to book a space here closer to the time of the festival.
Personal Assistant / Carer Ticket
We provide a free ticket for a personal assistant or carer to ticket holders who would be unable to attend, or those whose experience would be greatly impaired without their presence.
In order to apply please drop us an email at enquiries@artandideas.org. We will endeavour to respond to your request within 7 working days.
Service Dogs & ESAs
The festival recognises and welcomes accredited guide dogs & assistance dogs which have been trained by a member of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) or Assistance Dogs International (ADI). HowTheLightGetsIn requests that all festival goers who wish to bring their accredited guide & assistance dogs provide their ID card or certificate issued by the training organisation on entry. If you do not currently have official documentation, we kindly ask that you pre-register your animal to avoid any confusion at the box office.
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) must be pre-registered before the festival. Only ESAs with prior approval from the HowTheLightGetsIn team will be permitted on site and our team reserves the ability to deny access to festival goers without pre-registered ESAs.
All animals permitted to enter our festival site will be given a tag by the box office to ensure identification is possible by on-site staff. All festival goers are responsible for managing and controlling the hygiene and welfare of their animal whilst on-site.
To pre-register your animal, please click here.
Camping
The festival and camping team want to ensure your accommodation stay with us is as comfortable as possible. If you have any specific camping needs for your disability please contact our team directly on festivalcamping@cliftonhotels.com.
Any other questions?
Get in touch with us by emailing enquiries@artandideas.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Traders
HowTheLightGetsIn Hay is situated picturesque mountains of Hay-on-Wye. For the Spring Bank Holiday weekend you can be part of the world’s largest philosophy and music festival.
We are welcoming the very brightest, boldest and most innovative high-end traders, particularly those specialising in the unusual, the interesting, and the extraordinary.
If what you do or sell is genuinely special then we want to hear from you.
Download our Traders Information Pack here
Any questions? Contact us on: traders@artandideas.org
Contact Us
We would love to hear from you! Contact us at the email addresses below. Please provide as much information as you can so we can answer your questions as quickly as possible.
General enquiries: enquiries@artandideas.org
Sponsorship: sara.bell@artandideas.org
Partnership: partnership@artandideas.org
Press: press@artandideas.org
Contact us:
For press enquiries and media partnership enquiries, please contact us at:
press@artandideas.org
The Institute of Art and Ideas, 375 City Rd, London, EC1V 1NB
Tel: 020 7837 3000
Next May 23rd-26th we’ll be joined by a line-up of era defining philosophers, scientific pioneers and political firebrands to breathe the life into the greatest questions of our age. Paired with magical performance and laugh-out-loud comedy there’s no better present for the big-thinkers in your life.
How does it work?
To give your loved one an unforgettable weekend simply check the ‘make it a gift’ option on the ticket you want to gift.
When you check-out you'll be able to enter your recipients information. You’ll then receive a digital ticket confirmation, your recipient will immediately receive an email as well as a printed gift ticket the lucky recipient can unwrap (these both can be either sent to the recipient or yourself). Please do allow 5-10 working days for your physical gift ticket to be delivered.
With the festive season just around the corner don’t miss out on giving your loved one the the perfect present.
We're proud to work with media organisations, institutions, and platforms at the cutting edge of their fields. From live podcasts to specially curated events, explore below to check out the organisations we're partnering with this festival!
A Truly Unique Offering
The Independent
Press
