Hay will have a new music venue for the 2012 Festival. The venue will be near the town centre at the Castle ground, the site occupied in recent years by Giffords Circus.  The site has been used to host a tented venue by the festival before, but hasn’t been used by the festival proper since it moved from the local primary school to the current site in Dairy Meadows a mile outside the town.

Whilst it is more famous for its literature the festival has seen major established musical acts perform as well ground-breaking performers. Bob Geldof, Laura Marling, Hot Chip, PJ Harvey, Toumani Diabate, Jools Holland and many more have appeared in recent years.

No musical performers have been officially announced for this year but we can tell you that Paper Aeroplanes, an alternative pop band from Wales who have been compared to Fleetwood Mac and The Cranberries, will be there.  There’s also a rumour that breakthrough British jazz singer Zara McFarlane might be on the bill.  Sadly the new venue means no Giffords Circus this time round.