With 100 events, 40 debates and talks and 30 bands and comedy acts, join the world's leading thinkers as they gather at Kenwood House to debate the big ideas that will shape our future.

Running from: Sat 22 - Sun 23 Sep.

For one weekend, expect a unique blend of debates, talks, music, and comedy as you discover a world where ideas and the imagination are set free.

Speakers
The speakers at HowTheLightGetsIn are drawn from the world's leading thinkers, from philosophers to Nobel prize winners, from the most perceptive novelists to the most incisive columnists. Speakers include: cognitive psychologist and author of The Better Angels of Our Nature, Steven Pinker, mathematical physicist and Hawking collaborator, Roger Penrose, leading postcolonial theorist Homi Bhabha, philosopher and author Rebecca Goldstein, playwright and author of Hot Milk and Swimming Home, Deborah Levy, filmmaker and author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms, Tariq Ali, Kurdish women’s movement activist, Elif Sarican, philosopher of neuroscience and mind, Patricia Churchland, philosopher and author of Aping Mankind, Ray Tallis and German philosopher and author of I Am Not A Brain, Markus Gabriel.

Debates: Creation Myths and The Big Bang, The Fires of Progress, Matter, Mechanism and Mind and After Post Truth

Music
HowTheLightGetsIn have carefully hand-pick the Music & Performance events to mix your favourite bands with the cutting edge you've yet to discover. With a sensational line-up of homegrown talent culled from a vast array of genres, HowTheLightGetsIn's London edition looks set to be the biggest and best event yet. From exhilarating, forward-thinking dance music to intimate gigs from enchanting singer-songwriters - every taste is well and truly catered for.

Comedy: Line-up to be announced shortly. Stay tuned at HowTheLightGetsIn.

Experiences
Long Table Banquets - Every afternoon and evening, HowTheLightGetsIn's resident chefs lay out a sumptuous four-course meal to keep you nourished and ready for the spectacle unfolding in our fields. You'll have fine food and finer conversation, accompanied by cabaret, dancing and performance all night. It won't easily be forgotten.
Open Platform - As the greatest minds of our time gather for a drink and a meal, take your seat alongside them for a truly unique experience. Converse with Nobel laureates, challenge the shadow cabinet and explore the universe with particle physicists. Be part of the company, not merely an observer. You won't get many chances like it.
HotDocs - Recline in the cosy, candle-lit hush of the boutique picturehouse and let HowTheLightGetsIn take you on a voyage of discovery. Whether you need a night off from dancing or wish to throw yourself into new and strange ideas, the cinema programme is the perfect complement to your festival experience. Brought to you by TVF International - the world's leading independent provider of documentaries - HotDocs showcases a whole host of fascinating documentaries, so that you'll never want for stimulation and intrigue between sessions. Settle in the comfy shade of the pavillion and enjoy the show.