A bookshop in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, June 1997

A 'write' place to be. Hay Festival

Every spring, a quiet town in Wales flings open its literary doors and lets the words pour in. Welcome to Hay-on-Wye, where sheep outnumber people, and books outnumber sheep. For over three decades, the Hay Festival has turned this border town into a buzzing hub of stories, ideas and page-turning excitement. What started in 1988 around a kitchen table and a shared love of books, has grown into one of the world's best-known literary gatherings. Held over 10 days in late May to early June, the festival draws writers, thinkers, poets, politicians, comedians, musicians and curious readers from every corner. Big names like Margaret Atwood, Stephen Fry and Martin Rees have all graced the stage.

The town of Hay-on-Wye is the perfect setting. Known as the 'town of books,' it boasts over 20 bookshops—like the one pictured here—despite having fewer than 2,000 residents. During the festival, the population swells and so does the energy. Pop-up tents become stages, conversations spill into cafés, and everyone seems to be carrying a tote bag and a reading list.