HAY-ON-WYE is bracing itself for its annual festival invasion - as the town's population swells from 1,400 to more than 100,000 over the next 10 days. The Hay Festival gets underway on Thursday, May 22 with its schools' programme which will this year be opened by Henry Winkler, better known as the Fonz in 1970s American sitcom Happy Days. Winkler is now a celebrated children's author who has seen a return to fame with his Hank Zipzer series of books. On Thursday night BBC Radio Wales presenter Bethan Elfyn is hosting a battle of the bands featuring up and coming local bands and solo artists. The festival gets into full swing on Friday with big names including Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry, comic Johnny Vegas and Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May all appearing. Running alongside the Hay Festival is the philosophy and music event HowTheLightGetsIn, which also opens on Thursday. Now in its sixth year it expects to attract 35,000 visitors in total.

Among those appearing at HTLGI are former government drugs advisor David Nutt, Mike Jackson the former head of the British Army at an event questioning whether world peace is a 'mistaken goal', Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, John Major's former chancellor Norman Lamont and John Moore from the band Jesus and Mary Chain. For more on both festivals see this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale now