Levy and Evaristo to headline the 2022 Hay Festival

Bernardine Evaristo, Julian Barnes and Deborah Levy are among the headliners for the 2022 Hay Festival. 

Organisers have announced 22 early-bird events for its 35th spring edition, taking place in person at a revamped festival site from 26th May to 5th June 2022 in the Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye.  

Offering what organisers described as "a taster of a programme full of new perspectives on a changing world", events include festival president Stephen Fry sharing the latest in his series of mythical retellings along with economist Mariana Mazzucato and environmentalist George Monbiot discussing the inspirations behind their books. Broadcaster and historian David Olusoga will deliver the 2021 Raymond Williams Lecture, entitled "Is History Under Attack?"  

Novelists Caryl Lewis, Barnes, Julian Clary and David Roberts join the line-up to discuss their new work, while Levy talks about her living autobiography series. Evaristo presents her Manifesto (Hamish Hamilton) while Jarvis Cocker will speak about his upcoming memoir Good Pop, Bad Pop (Vintage). 

Additionally, a collaboration with Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour will include a run of nine performances of Julius Caesar in a specially commissioned open-air theatre at the newly renovated Hay Castle.  

Hay Festival international director Cristina Fuentes La Roche said: “With the town still a-buzz from Hay Festival Winter Weekend, we’re delighted to share this preview of the treats to come at Hay Festival next May. Just in time for Christmas, here is a promise of spring and a spark of hope for the year ahead. We can’t wait to welcome see you again.”  

Tickets are on sale now to Friends of Hay Festival on the event website before they go on general release at noon on 2nd December. The full festival programme will be released in April 2022.