The Hay Festival is sponsored by the radical broadsheet The Guardian which describes the event thus: "Hay is a tiny market town in the Black Mountains of the Welsh Marches. It has 1300 people and 39 bookshops. For ten days a year 50,000 visitors converge on Hay from all over the UK, Europe and America to join in a carnival celebration . It's a market of ideas, where stories are exchanged."
The Festival adds its radical spice to international controversy with debate on International Intervention, America, Zimbabwe, Secularism vs State Religion, Ethics and Science, Morality and Business. Enough there to raise the blood pressure I think. Light relief from such emotive subjects comes comedians Ross Noble, Bill Bailey and Dominic Holland and Macy Gray, Baaba Maal, Talvin Singh, Afro Celt Sound System. Bob Geldof will sooth or stimulate with their music as appropriate.
I have a particular soft spot for this festival not only because it takes place within the boundaries of a small rural community but because the organizers have created a parallel festival for kids which takes place at the same time under a geodome on the Hay Primary School grounds. Magic, myth, history and legend come together as kids get to meet their favourite authors, computer game creators and graphic designers. With events like this it is little wonder that we see a renewal of interest in reading by children.
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