The Orkney Folk Festival has announced its full lineup for 2025, featuring 60 acts from across the globe. Scheduled to take place from May 22 to 25, the festival will present artists from Canada, the USA, Australia, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sápmi, England, and Scotland, alongside local Orcadian musicians.
This year’s event coincides with Orkney hosting the International Island Games, bringing an increased presence of island-based artists. As a consequence, the festival will feature performers from Shetland, Skye, Arran, the Isle of Man, Ireland, Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, Australia, and Manhattan.
The festival’s diverse lineup includes Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, marking their first UK appearances in 25 years. Other notable Canadian artists include Rachel Davis, Darren McMullen, Zak Cormier, Buddy MacDonald, and Troy MacGillivray.
Nordic folk is well-represented with Dreamers’ Circus, Emil Kárlsen, and Frigg celebrating their 25th anniversary.
Other international acts include The Maes from Australia and American musicians Guy Davis, Natalie Haas, and Brittany Haas.
With 55 events spread across Orkney, the festival offers concerts, ceilidhs, lounge performances, workshops, and family events. While over half of the events take place in Stromness, performances are also scheduled in Birsay, Deerness, Finstown, Harray, Hoy, Kirkwall, Sanday, Sandwick, St Margaret’s Hope, Stenness, and Tankerness.
The Gathering concert returns, celebrating the musical connections between Orkney and Cape Breton. Directed by Douglas Montgomery and Troy MacGillivray, the performance will bring together musicians from both regions. The festival also marks the 30th anniversary of Hadhirgaan, a music education project founded by Douglas Montgomery. A special gala concert will feature past and present members, including Orcadian acts Fara, Gnoss, and Auskerry.
For the first time, the festival introduces a cinema event with a screening of Kim Carnie Out Loud, an award-winning film exploring LGBTQ+ experiences. Kim Carnie will attend the screening for a Q&A session.
Family-friendly programming remains a priority, with Dragon Song Productions offering interactive puppet-based performances for children under six. The Family Folkie event at Stromness Academy includes a Stomp and Family Ceilidh, while the school visit program continues to bring live performances to local students.
For adult attendees, Friday and Saturday night Stomps will feature performances by The Chair, Gnoss, Project Smok, and Mec Lir. Traditional ceilidhs will take place in Stenness, Kirkwall, and Sanday.
Workshops will cover Orkney fiddle, Finnish fiddle, bluegrass fiddle, bodhrán, Cape Breton step dance, cello, and songwriting, led by renowned musicians including Graham Rorie, members of Frigg, Brittany Haas, Craig Baxter, Mac Morin, Natalie Haas, and Findlay Napier. The Orkney Festival Choir returns, led by Aimee Leonard, with an additional singing workshop by The Maes.
Festival Producer Craig Corse emphasized the event’s breadth, noting its expanded programming and commitment to showcasing both traditional and contemporary folk music. He said: said: “In the year that Orkney welcomes its largest number of fellow island visitors – most likely ever – we’re delighted to kick things off with a bumper contingent of islander musicians and singers from across the globe.
“As well as islanders, with Orkney proudly taking center stage once again, among the 60 acts appearing this year, we welcome a number of our Nordic cousins – with some of the most groundbreaking Finnish, Danish and Sámi artists heading our way. They’ll be joined by more gems from Australia, the USA, Canada, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, and England, while Orkney’s homegrown artists are once again ready to provide the festival’s famed island welcome. Over 50% of artists proudly hail from our home shores.
“This year we also include our first venture into cinema, musical puppet theater for the wee ones, the annual Family Folkie events on Saturday afternoon, an enhanced workshop program, and not forgetting the festival’s famed pub sessions running throughout the weekend in Stromness.
“With 55 events, there’s plenty to satisfy the most varied of folky palates – from the traditional, to the furthest fringes of folk fusion – and with all shows individually ticketed, audiences are able to build their own itinerary to suit their tastes and budgets. Whether joining us for one concert or 12, we can’t wait to welcome audiences back to Stromness and across Orkney, and for the festival magic to begin once again.”
Tickets will be available for pre-sale to Orkney Friends members on March 29, with general sales opening at 7 PM BST on April 2.
More details at orkneyfolkfestival.com
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central