World-famous names descend once again at half-term for this year’s Hay Festival. Kicking off on May 26, for 11 glorious days visitors and residents will be entertained by stars of stage and screen, experts in the fields of academia and politics, award-winning comedians and musicians, in a programme of 700-plus events catering to all ages and interests.

If you’ve always wanted to meet the author of your favourite book, now’s your chance. Audience participation is the X factor at Hay, when everyone gets the opportunity to question the speakers and continue the conversation at book-signings after each event.

You can share a joke with Sarah Millican, Dara O Briain, Josie Lawrence, Marcus Brigstocke and Susan Calman, sing along to Suzanne Vega, Baaba Maal and KT Tunstall, delve into history with Simon Schama, role-play with Simon Callow, Olivia Colman and Maxine Peake, and make your mind up about Brexit with Gordon Brown.

Dig into your subconscious with (International Hay Fellow) Jay Griffiths, Monty Don and Ruby Wax, re-discover the power of nature with Anna Pavord, John Lewis-Stempel, Chris Packham and Kate Humble. Your love of the countryside could even extend to finding a soulmate or partner for life, as Country Living Magazine relaunches its successful campaign, The Farmer Wants a Wife (18 marriages and 20 children) for the current world of online dating. Matchmaking experts discuss the highs and lows with two female farmers who share anecdotes about their experiences and advise on tactics for success. Then sign up free of charge to the new rural dating site country-loving.co.uk at a drinks reception afterwards where you can glean more tips.

In the green and pleasant land of the Welsh Borders, safeguarding our environment is a key concern, and one that is addressed on a local and global scale during the Hay on Earth forum, curated by Andy Fryers. He has assembled an impressive line-up of experts including the MD of Good Energy Juliet Davenport talking about the power crisis, People Tree founder Saffia Minney on sustainable fashion, rural commentator Rob Yorke on re-wilding, and Ed Gillespie on green travel, having traversed the world for a year without ever boarding a plane.

If your brain is bursting after all that stimulation, evenings are a time to wind down and enjoy comedy and music. The opening night hosts the Battle of the Bands, when promising local musicians vie to one named Best Band of Hay 2016, and on the closing night

Bryn Terfel and Rebecca Evans command the stage. In the evenings between you can hear Brazilian singer Flavia Coelho, the musical group Showstoppers, the innovative Indian-Welsh group Ghazalaw, and during the day you are invited to the BBC series of Lunchtime Concerts in St Mary’s Church.

The site is free to enter, so you are welcome to sample what the festival has to offer, browse and buy at the pop-up shops, and enjoy a sheep’s milk ice cream at Shepherds. The Festival bookshop stocks 50,000 titles, so there’s sure to be something for everyone – just like the programme itself.

Hay Festival is the UK’s biggest literary event, and now has expanded worldwide, with sister festivals in Spain, Mexico, Colombia and Peru. They all operate on the same model as Hay Wales, bringing people together to discuss ideas and, in director Peter Florence’s phrase, ‘imagine the world’ as it could be. A great achievement for a town of just 1,500 residents.

Hay Festival runs from May 26 - June 5. Book tickets online at hayfestival.org, ring the box office on 01497 822629, or call into the Drill Hall in Lion Street, Hay.