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 2017

15Brown Trout Season Opens
18British Science Week - Papa Westray
25Farmer's Market

April 2017

14-16Orkney Ceilidh Weekend
21.23Jazz Festival
16St Magnus Day Service
29Farmer's Market
29Orkney Rugby Sevens Tournament
29Kirkwall ladies' Hocky Club Tournament

May 2017

15-21Orkney Nature Festival
17Norwegian Constitution Day Parade
25-28Orkney Folk Festival
27Farmers' Market

June 2017

13-20Orkney Wine Festival
11Hoy Half-marathon
16-21St Magnus Festival
17Local Food Fare Market
17-25Orkney Garden Festival
21Summer Solstice
24Farmers' Market
30-2 JulySanday Soulka

July 2017

1North Isles Sports - Sanday
1Longhope Regatta
2St Magnus Marathon and 10K
3-31Ness of Brodgar Excavations
8Holm Regatta
15Stromness Regatta
16-22Stromness Shopping Week
16Stromness Golf Club - Shopping Week Open
21-23Papay Fun Weekend
22Burray Regatta
29Westray Regatta
29Farmers’ Market
29Kirkwall Golf Club Open – Men’s
30Kirkwall Golf Open – Ladies’
31North Ronaldsay Sheep Festival

August 2017

1-11North Ronaldsay Sheep Festival
1-25Ness of Brodgar Excavations
4Sanday Agricultural Show
4-6Sanday Soulka
5East Mainland Agricultural Show
5Kirkwall Regatta
5Stromness Golf Club Open – Men’s
6Stromness Golf Club Open – Ladies’
8Shapinsay Agricultural Show
9South Ronaldsay & Burray Agricultural Show
10West Mainland Agricultural Show
12Orkney Agricultural Show
12-14UK Snipe National Championship
12Parish Cup Football Final
13Riding of the Marches
13Orkney Vintage Rally
16-20Flower Festival – Cathedral
18-19County Flower & Vegetable Show
20Holm Regatta
19Festival of the Horse and Boys’ Ploughing Match
26Farmers’ Market

September 2017

1-3Orkney Rock Festival
7-13Orkney International Science Festival
15-17Sanday Soulka
16Chrysanthemum, Dahlia and Industrial Show
15-17Orkney Blues Festival
17-18Orkney Motocross Beach Race
30Farmers’ Market

October 2017

26-29Orkney Story Telling Festival
27Farmers’ Market

November 2017

4Kirkwall Bonfire and Fireworks Display
17-19OY Arts Festival and Muckle Supper – Papa Westray
24Farmers’ Market

Decemeber 2017

9Norwegian Light – Christmas Tree Lightening
9Farmers’ Market
16Farmers’ Market
21Maeshowe Winter Solstice
25The Ba’ – Boys’ and Men’s games
31Hogmanay Celebrations

January 2018

1The Ba’ – Boys’ and Men’s games