The complete schedule for the 40th annual Orkney Folk Festival has been released, with 48 performers from different parts of the world gathering in Stromness, Orkney’s west mainland, from May 25th to May 28th. The festival will feature celebrated artists from the United States, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland, along with 28 local Orcadian artists. The four-day festival includes 47 events in 18 venues across the county, including concerts, ceilidhs, clubs, workshops, and family events.
Although more than half of the events will occur in the festival’s home of Stromness, festival shows will also take place in Birsay, Finstown, Harray, Kirkwall, Orphir, Sanday, Sandwick, St. Margaret’s Hope, Stenness, and Tankerness. Highland Park and Swannay Brewery, two long-term supporters of the festival, will open their visitor centers to festival gigs for the first time in the 40th year.
The well-known Scottish folk group, Capercaillie, will perform at the festival on May 26th in a special collaboration with a local orchestra. They first appeared in the county at the fourth Orkney Folk Festival in 1986.
The Orkney Folk Festival ‘s annual Gathering concerts, which showcase Orcadian music with surprise guests, will be performed by homegrown group Fara this year. Fara’s performance will explore Orkney’s abundance of renewable energy resources and the innovation taking place in the county through an international lens, with musical thoughts on green energy and the environment from surprise guests.
This year, the event will host a Songwriters Circle, featuring acclaimed singer-songwriters Kris Drever, Katherine Priddy, Mo Kenney, and Beth Malcolm. Additionally, a new standing event called Future Folk in Kirkwall’s Pickaquoy Centre arena will feature Highland indie-funk-folk stars Elephant Sessions; leading Scottish five-piece Kinnaris Quintet; multi award-winning Nova Scotian indie-folk-pop singer Mo Kenney; and Orkney’s rock choir, Orkney Rocks!
Orkney Folk Festival producer, Craig Corse said: “With just over two months to go until the festival, it’s great to now be able to share our full program of events across a packed four days. It’s a cliché to say that there’s something for everyone, however with a wide range of folk styles from around the world on offer – some very traditional, and others much less so, a wide selection of seated and standing shows, expanded venue capacities in some places, more on offer for families and young folk, and even theater, there’s a lot on offer.
“It’s also great to now announce the full complement of Orcadian artists within the festival this year, who alongside Stromness and Orkney themselves, are very much are the backbone of the festival, as has been the case for the last forty years. We’ve some artists who have appeared at every edition of the festival, and some who are making their debut appearances as we mark the fortieth anniversary, and not to mention a good few heading home to join in the birthday celebrations.
“All we need now is an audience to help us toast the festival in style, and I can’t wait to see everyone back in Stromness very soon!”
The full line-up for the 40th Orkney Folk Festival, as well as the festival program, is available at orkneyfolkfestival.com/programme.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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