Indie band Lo-Fidelity All Stars kick off the Hay Literary Festival on a musical note on Friday evening.

The 15th book festival in the Welsh borders town has been hit by a last-minute boycott over the involvement of sponsor Nestl�.

The country town is packed with bookshops

Authors Germaine Greer and Jim Crace, a Booker Prize nominee, pulled out over their objections to the company's marketing of powdered baby milk to the developing world.

But a host of major authors, including Francis Fukuyama, Philip Pullman, Sebastian Faulks and Ian McEwen are still set to appear at the festival over the next week.

The festival in the market town, which has just 1,300 people but 39 bookshops, has become one of the most important fixtures in the UK literary calendar.

In 2001 Bill Clinton flew in to speak at the event, which this year focuses on the themes of global conflict, medicine and religion.

Orwell's reputation will be defended by Christopher Hitchens

Poets Roger McGough, Linton Kwesi Johnson, James Fenton and Australia's Les Murray are all set to appear.

Michael Holroyd, author of works on the lives of George Bernard Shaw, Lytton Strachey and Augustus John will discuss the meaning of biography.

Radical journalist Christopher Hitchens is set to lecture on the works of the great journalist and political writer George Orwell, whose work Hitchens has recently defended in the book Orwell's Victory.

Songwriter Hugh Cornwell will subject his work for the Stranglers to a song-by-song analysis, as part of a strong musical presence at the event.

Soul star Macy Gray will appear on 8 June

World music stars Baaba Maal and Ladysmith Black Mambazo are appearing, along with concerts by Bob Geldof and Macy Gray.

Monday's Jubilee holiday sees a debate on the future on the British monarchy organised by the Guardian newspaper.

On a lighter note, Black Books star Bill Bailey beings his unique brand of musical comedy to Hay on Saturday night.