The Orkney Folk Festival got off to a stonking good start on Thursday 22 May. The four day festival which runs from 22nd to 25th May had, by its opening event, sold 8, 600 tickets.

Stromness is the main centre for the festival but events take place throughout the islands including:  Birsay, Deerness, Finstown, Harray, Hoy, Kirkwall, Sanday, Sandwick, St Margaret’s Hope, Stenness and Tankerness.

Orkney Folk Festival is one of Scotland’s longest-running folk festivals. Leading artists from Canada, the USA, Australia, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sápmi, England and throughout Scotland will join home-grown Orcadian musicians as part of the 60 acts appearing at the festival in its 42^nd year.

The festival is run entirely by volunteers – and has been since its inception in 1982. The year-round management committee and board are supported by more than two hundred others in the lead up to the festival.

Orkney Folk Festival Producer, Craig Corse said:

“ Alongside artists attending from as far as Australia, Canada and the USA – flanked by Orkney’s own, rich traditional music sector – we’re thrilled to welcome audiences travelling to Orkney from as far and wide.

“In the year in which Orkney welcomes its most island visitors – most likely ever – for the International Island Games in July, we’re excited to kick things off this weekend with a bumper contingent of island visitors of our own – none more so than at tonight’s opening concert, which features homegrown quartet, Fara, marking their tenth anniversary, the iconic blues of Manhattan’s Guy Davis, Australian trio The Maes, and Cape Breton superstars Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy.

“As the largest music festival in Orkney, ours is a true community celebration, with over 250 volunteers rallying to stage the event each year, and which includes events for all the family.

“Whether it’s the wee ones attending the Family Folkie and Dragon Song musical puppet theatre shows, folks who want to jump around and cut loose to some late night modern folk styles, or those who prefer the much more traditional stylings at the annual Fiddlers’ Rally or ceilidh dances, with 55 events this year, there’s something for everyone.

“Whilst a number of events have sold out, we’ve still got some great gigs with availability over the weekend – it’s not too late to join in and experience the festival’s unique welcome and atmosphere, all to the tune of genuinely world-class music across the county all weekend.”

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