Come to Orkney at any time of year and you can share in hundreds of years of custom and the unique culture of the islanders. Ceilidh bands play throughout the year in local pubs, but you can be sure of hearing these traditional melodies at the Orkney Ceilidh Weekend in April, or the Folk Festival in May. Also the St Magnus International Festival brings a joyful explosion of music, theatre, performance and storytelling to the islands across 6 vibrant days in June.

One of the highlights of the Orcadian cultural calendar is the Ba Game – a truly spectacular game of mass football, contested every Christmas and New Year’s Day in the streets of Kirkwall, between the Uppies and the Doonies.

If you prefer your cultural experience to be a little more relaxing then why not pay a visit to the award winning Orkney Brewery or Highland Park Distillery? Orkney also has a world-renowned agricultural heritage, which is celebrated every August at the Orkney County Show – a culmination of many smaller agricultural shows across the islands.

For a list of events click here.