It looks like ticket sales for the Hay Festival may top 230,000 this year which is 15% up on the record numbers that flocked to last year’s sun-kissed event.  Twitter is partly responsible according to Festival Director Peter Florence.

“The response has been absolutely phenomenal.  Twitter didn’t really exist here last year and everybody’s got a smart or android phone now. The way people come to the festival will change because of that and people will want to comment. Following it on Twitter seems an obvious thing to do.”

Follow it you can.  The most popular twitter hashtag will be #hayfestival and you can follow individual authors, politicians, film stars and intellectuals via Making Hay’s exclusive Hay Twitter Directory (access via the menu at the top of the page).