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PREVIEW: How The Light Gets In Festival Gets Ready For Year 6 - With Theme Of 'Heresy, Truth And The Future'

How The Light Gets In Gets People Thinking, Talking And Dancing
The Huffington Post UK
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How The Light Gets In, the world's largest philosophy and music festival, is gearing up for its sixth annual gathering, to take place in Hay-on-Wye at the end of May.

Guest speakers at the event include comedian Marcus Brigstoke, filmmaker Julien Temple, broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, actress Imogen Stubbs and French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, as well as former Chancellor Norman Lamont and Wikileaks chief spokesperson Kristin Hrafnsson.

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Debates will take place under one of the festival's many venues

The theme of this year's festival is Heresy, Truth and the Future, inspiring 450 events over ten days. Highlights include:

Independence Day (22 May)

With the future of Scotland and Catalonia hanging in the balance, Channel 4 political correspondent Michael Crick asks former ambassador to the US John Kerr, historian Count Nikolai Tolskoy, and Liberal Democrat politician Diana Wallis to debate the future of the nation state.

Bang Goes the Big Bang (24 May)

Theoretical physicists Roger Penrose. multiverse cosmologist Laura Mersini-Houghton, and CERN particle theorist John Ellis go back to the beginining.

Who's Afraid of the Truth: Bernard-Henri Lévy in conversation with Rana Mitter (24 May)

France's most public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy turns his sights on the hypocrisy and blindness of politicians and philosophers alike.

Known for fierce opposition to totalitarianism in all its forms, BHL personally persuaded Sarkozy to intervene in Libya and is a radical force in France's cultural life.

*After Equality (24 May)

Equality is usually seen as the goal of feminism. Yet with women more than a third more likely to go to university than men, and with more female entrants to medicine and law, does this limit the horizon? Rather than equality should we be championing difference? Or is this a dangerous heresy that threatens progress?

Huffington Post UK editor Carla Buzasi hosts Times columnist David Aaronovitch, writer and broadcaster Beatrix Campbell, and feminist journalist Julie Bindel as they look beyond equality.

*In association with the Huffington Post UK.

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It's not all thinking at How The Light Gets In...

As well as thought-provoking debates, there will be plenty of music, comedy, food and lots of partying.

Click here for the full lineup, ticket info and other information.

Top 10 outlandish food festivals
Roadkill Cook-Off, Marlinton, W.V., United States(01 of09)
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Have you ever seen a dead animal lying on the side of the road and thought, ‘Wow, I’m hungry?’ If you answered yes to this question, then the annual Roadkill Cook-Off in Marlinton, W.V., might be the perfect food festival for you. Held the last Saturday in September, this festival features dishes made from creatures who often find themselves flattened on the side of the road. Actual roadkill isn’t used in the dishes, but visitors will be sure to get an authentic roadkill experience with sample dishes such as tacos filled with armadillo, porcupine stew and marinated bear. Yum!Search and compare cheap flights to West Virginia. (credit:Flickr:Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com)
La Tomatina, Bruñol, Spain(02 of09)
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Feel like taking some aggression out on strangers by throwing crushed tomatoes at them for an hour? Then head to Spain on the fourth Wednesday in August for the largest tomato food fight you will ever encounter. La Tomatina began around the end of World War II due to a rumored local fight (the exact origins are unknown) and now draws around 45,000 people every year to toss nearly 250,000 pounds of tomatoes at one another. Participants are urged to wear goggles and gloves during the fight and of course clothing you don’t mind getting permanent tomato stains on.Search and compare cheap flights to Spain. (credit:Flickr:grahammclellan)
BugFest, Raleigh, N.C., United States(03 of09)
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Only for those with an ironclad stomach (or fans of “Fear Factor”), the annual BugFest sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, incorporates insects and creepy crawlers in all of its featured dishes. This September festival encourages participants to try bug-inspired foods prepared by local chefs, and fine-tune their entomophagy skills — the practice of eating bugs. Past featured dishes have included superworm enchiladas and cinnamon-sugar crickets.Search and compare cheap flights to North Carolina.
Testicle Festival, Clinton, Mont., United States(04 of09)
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If the name of this annual festival hasn’t made you squirm yet, then keep reading. This Montana event, held in August and known formally as the Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival, is named for one of the main dishes served — bull testicles. Undecided on your testicle of choice? Enjoy a sampler plate of the featured fare. Reports from last year’s festival found that participants consumed an average of 110 pounds of bull and bison testicles served deep fried, beer-battered or marinated. After attending this one-of-a-kind event you’re sure to be chanting its motto: “I had a ball at the Testicle Festival.”Search and compare cheap flights to Montana. (credit:Flickr:Beige Alert)
Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea, Italy(05 of09)
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This food festival is only for the brave considering its participants often come out bruised, injured, or even hospitalized. The Battle of the Oranges, which lasts for three days and concludes on Fat Tuesday, involves teams of helmet-clad diehards hurling oranges at one another in a tradition that dates back to the 12th century. Festival organizers ship in approximately 400 tons of oranges annually for the event, and the aftermath requires a clean-up crew of around 100 members. Pull out the full-body armor for this festival!Search and compare cheap flights to Italy.
Cheese Curd Festival, Ellsworth, Wis., United States(06 of09)
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To help promote the local dairy tradition in the town of Ellsworth, Wis., locals began hosting the Cheese Curd Festival (taking place June 28-30), complete with eating contest and cheese carving competition. Now, a cheese festival in a state known for its cheese production may not seem uncommon. But given the main dishes at this festival derive from cheese curds — the solid part of soured milk — it deserves this ranking in our top food festivals for those with a stomach of steel.Search and compare cheap flights to Wisconsin. (credit:Flickr:dfilippini)
Waikiki Spam Jam, Waikiki, Hawaii, United States(07 of09)
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A food staple in Hawaii, Spam® is canned precooked meat that many refer to as “mystery meat.” This annual festival honoring the staple (held in April this year) is one of the most popular Hawaiian festivals combining the love of Spam with a family atmosphere and live music. Don’t fear if this one-of-a-kind meat isn’t your favorite; the festival features some of Honolulu’s best restaurants serving up the meat in a variety of ways for all to enjoy.Search and compare cheap flights to Hawaii. (credit:Flickr:madmarv00)
Gilroy Garlic Festival, Gilroy, Calif., United States(08 of09)
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Calling all garlic lovers! The annual Gilroy Garlic Festival celebrates all things garlic in the nicknamed “garlic capital of the world,” Gilroy, Calif. The July festival, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, attracts around 100,000 visitors all uniting for the love of garlic. Delicacies include garlic goodies like lollipops, soft drinks and ice cream. Hope they sell gum as well!Search and compare cheap flights to California. (credit:Flickr:puliarf)
Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival, Fellsmere, Fla., United States(09 of09)
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Who wouldn’t love of mouthful of frog leg or gator tail? Well, you’re sure to get plenty of both at this Florida festival held in January. The festival features plenty of other tasty treats as well but many visitors come to get the authentic culinary experience. Festival profits go toward supporting youth recreational needs, so rest assured you are snacking on frog legs for a good cause.Search and compare cheap flights to Florida. (credit:Flickr:firsttubedotcom)

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