The Orkney Islander Magazine

Whenever your visit to Orkney falls in the calendar, you can rest assured there will always be something happening.

Recently, a local Festival Forum set out to test the theory that Orkney may hold more festivals per head of population than anywhere else.

From music festivals to wine, science, nature and craft — there really is an event for everyone, and it doesn’t all happen on the Mainland.

The isles are brimming with events, particularly in the summer, where you can check out the Sanday Soulka or the Hoy Hoolie, for example.

The Orkney Folk Festival, St Magnus International Festival, Orkney Rock Festival and Orkney Blues Festival are definitely worth checking out, and the Orkney International Science Festival is the oldest festival of its kind anywhere outside Edinburgh.

Dates for your diary

March 2018

15Brown Trout Season Opens
31Farmers’ Market

April 2018

13-15Orkney Ceilidh Weekend
16-17St Magnus Day
20-22Jazz Festival
28Farmers’ Market

May 2018

1-31Orkney Nature Festival
5Orkney Rugby Sevens Tournament
6Kirkwall Ladies’ Hockey Club Tournament
11-20Orkney Wine Festival
17Norwegian Constitution Day Parade
24-27Orkney Folk Festival
25-27Sanday Soulka
26Farmers’ Market

June 2018

16North Isles Sports - Stronsay
17Hoy Half-marathon
21Summer Solstice
22-28St Magnus Festival
23Local Food Fare Market
30Farmers’ Market
30Burray Regatta

July 2018

1St Magnus Marathon & 10K
2-24Ness of Brodgar Excavations
7Longhope Regatta
14Stromness Regatta
15-21Stromness Shopping Week
15Stromness Golf Club - Shopping Week Open
20-22Papay Fun Weekend
21Holm Regatta
28Westray Regatta
28Farmers’ Market
28Kirkwall Golf Club Open – Men’s
29Kirkwall Golf Open – Ladies’
29-10 AugNorth Ronaldsay Sheep Festival

August 2018

3Sanday Agricultural Show
3-5Sanday Soulka
4East Mainland Agricultural Show
4Kirkwall Regatta
4Stromness Golf Club Open – Men’s
5Stromness Golf Club Open – Ladies’
7Shapinsay Agricultural Show
8South Ronaldsay & Burray Agricultural Show
9West Mainland Agricultural Show
11Orkney Agricultural Show
11Parish Cup Football Final
12Riding of the Marches
12Orkney Vintage Rally
15-19Flower Festival – Cathedral
17-18County Flower & Vegetable Show
18Festival of the Horse Boys’ Ploughing Match
25Farmers’ Market
31-2 SeptOrkney Rock Festival

September 2018

1-2Orkney Motocross Beach Race
6-12Orkney International Science Festival
15Chrysanthemum, Dahlia and Industrial Show
28-30Orkney Blues Festival
29Farmers’ Market

October 2018

25-28Orkney Story Telling Festival
27Farmers’ Market

November 2018

3Kirkwall Bonfire and Fireworks Display
24Farmers’ Market

Decemeber 2018

8Norwegian Light – Christmas Tree Lightening
15Farmers’ Market
23Maeshowe Winter Solstice
25The Ba’ – Boys’ and Men’s games
31Hogmanay Celebrations

January 2019

1The Ba’ – Boys’ and Men’s games