News

Artists announced for 2021

Following an overwhelming response to the first ever virtual Orkney Folk Festival, the team behind the award-winning festival have announced some 22 artists set to appear at the 2021 festival.

As with most festivals and public gatherings in 2020, this year’s Orkney Folk Festival was forced to cancel amidst the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic; the first time in the event’s near four-decade history.

Organisers are therefore delighted to confirm that the vast majority of artists scheduled to be part of the festival this year will instead appear in the county next May, at the rescheduled 38th Orkney Folk Festival – between May 27-30, 2021.

A strong Scottish contingent heads up the bill, complimented by leading artists from Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, India, the USA, England, Shetland, and of course Orkney’s own thriving local scene.

Festival favourites Blazin’ Fiddles and Dàimh will both make welcome returns, whilst Scottish folk rockers Skerryvore will make their debut Orkney appearances in their sixteenth year on the road.

Seven years since first captivating Orkney crowds, multi award-winning Canadian roots duo Madison Violet are set to make a very welcome return to the festival, as are groundbreaking Scottish trio Talisk – who...

Limited Edition Merch Sale!

Why not treat yourself to some limited edition festival merchandise this weekend? Support the festival with some new threads for your next Zoom meeting/pint.

We’ve added loads of new items to our online shop. Many are down to their last handful left, and ALL at special festival weekend prices!

T-shirts, fleeces, jackets, CDs, even Teddies… pop on over and grab a bargain!

orkneyfolkfestival.com/shop

The Big 2020 Lockdown Special

Hope everyone’s getting on as well as can be, in these crazy times.

As you’ll no doubt be aware, this weekend would have been our 38th festival. Obviously that’s not to be this year, and needless to say we can’t wait to be back up and running once this is all over.

In the meantime, we couldn’t let the weekend pass without marking it somehow – so we’ve been raking through the hard drives to pull together a few concerts that we are very excited to be able to stream on Facebook and YouTube over the next few days! 

Its not what we had planned for this time of year, but – wherever you are in the world – we would love it if you could join us from your sofas for a peedie virtual festival at home.

THURSDAY 21 MAY
8.00pm – Recent Highlights
A compilation of compilations to warm up for the weekend. A few recent highlight packages, distilling the four day festival into one four or five minute snapshot; both as a reminder, and to tempt future visitors. Here we look back at the 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2019 festivals. 

FRIDAY...

38th Orkney Folk Festival postponed until 2021

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is with very heavy hearts that we are postponing the 38th Orkney Folk Festival until 2021.

Given yesterday’s announcements from both the UK and Scottish governments regarding social distancing and public gatherings, we have no choice but to sit this year out. Public health and all necessary precautions must come first.

We are therefore looking forward to returning in 2021, and are currently in discussion with all of this year’s artists in hope that we can still welcome them – and all of you – to the festival, albeit a year later than planned. Many have already confirmed, and we will make further such announcements in due course.

We will be in touch with all registered Patrons in the next few days, and kindly request your patience whilst we work through everything and everyone (there are a lot of you!). These are uncharted waters for everyone.

In the meantime, please keep supporting musicians and artists in these uncertain times – many of whom have seen the vast majority of their income for the next few months vanish in a matter of days. Buy merchandise, commission tunes, learn...