It’s been called Europe’s answer to TED Talks. HowTheLightGetsIn festival descended on Hay this bank holiday weekend, offering political debates with John Bercow to topical talks with award-winning activists. It’s a place where people are encouraged to talk and to think, and sing and dance to music in the process. 

Since starting in 2008, the deep-thinking meets music festival has grown, taking over Hay’s town and welcoming big names and experts in the fields of science, philosophy, psychology and so much more. 

“Everyone is a philosopher. Everyone has to work out what life is about,” Hilary Lawson, philosopher and editorial director of HowTheLightGetsIn says. “It started as an ideas festival around philosophy. It seemed ridiculous that no one talked about philosophy, either because they were embarrassed or wouldn’t understand it. We thought maybe we could get people together to talk about the big idea.” 

Hilary has lived in Hay for 27 years and also runs the festival in London. But the Hay event feels like everything a festival should be: intimate, supporting new talent, engaging in the community spirit of free speech and debates. It’s hard not to appreciate the authenticity when the rain pours and the field soon turns to sludge. But it doesn’t deter those who are there. 

Conversations over breakfast and lunch lead to the current ongoing conflict in Gaza, or the recently announced general election. With no VIP areas, everyone is on the same playing field. It’s a place where people can talk to Nobel Prize Winners over a coffee, and continue the discussion of what has just been debated on one of the stages. “We never dumb it down,” Hilary says. “When you come here you listen to people at the edges of their field, in whatever area, politics or science, and you hear how they talk to each other about a central philosophical issue. We might watch a debate on TV about a topic that we don’t know much about, and here you can do the same thing and gain an enormous amount from that. The event is for everyone.” 

In a world where people fear not being able to talk openly about tense topics, HowTheLightGetsIn offers an opportunity for those to challenge their views and learn from others. “We are always talking about the immediate topics that face us. We are always taking a topic that is immediately now and then thinking about it in a bigger picture, asking the questions that don’t get asked enough.” 

This openness is the ethos of the festival, with the festival refusing to shy away from difficult topics. “The festival is the opposite of that. Our view is you have to say no to that, get in there, listen to each other, create a nice environment and discuss the topics. We encourage a space that is as open and engaging to people as possible.” 

The festival also holds stages for music artists, comedians and performers, so that those who are seeking respite from deeper topics can be entertained. “We have a music program all day every day on twelve stages. There is always going to be music that you like along with comedy, there’s an indefinite amount to be entertained by,” Hilary says. “The music stops people feeling too pompous. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Nobel prize winner, you’re still listening to the same music. It makes everything a bit more real.” 

The festival continues in London on September 21 and 22.