Orkney’s calendar is packed full of festivals to suit everyone as well as the major international festivals for which the county is famed (see other culture section pages).

One of the first mini festivals of the year is Papay Gyro Nights Art Festival, a recent revival of an old Papay tradition, which is held at the time of the first full moon in February.  Next it's Orkney Jazz Festival held the last weekend of April at the Stromness Hotel, featuring mainly traditional jazz from visiting performers.

In June Scotland’s only wine festival is held at various restaurants around the county during The Orkney Fine Wine festival. Tastings, food and wine lunches and dinners and talks are tutored by visiting winemakers and merchants during the first week of the month.

Stromness Shopping Week has been held during the third week of July for more than 60 years. This community event first designed to entice people to the shops now hosts family and sporting events with a huge range of activities together with shows from visiting performers and bands. You can also view local crafts and a flower show. Fireworks light up the harbour on the final night when you can dance in the street to the resident band. Further afield you can have a truly entertaining time at the Papa Westray Fun Weekend with an adult and children’s sports day, carty racing down the brae and two ceilidhs. Westray Sailing Regatta is another firm favourite for visitors to the isles.

August is a time of festival fever. In addition to the agricultural shows, you can watch Kirkwall Sailing Regatta, tour the Vintage Rally Show, watch the Riding of the Marches and try out a range of visiting real ales and ciders at the Orkney Beer Festival in the Stromness Hotel. For a spectacle you will see nowhere else don’t miss the South Ronaldsay Boys’ Ploughing Match & Festival of the Horse. Children dress in intricate horse costumes at St Margaret’s Hope and boys compete with mini ploughs on the Sands o’Wright beach.

In September the Orkney Blues Weekend showcases blues in its broadest interpretation with visiting bands and local talent, performing in several venues around Stromness for a non-stop blues experience.

The Orkney Story Trust runs a storytelling festival at the end of October, which features international storytellers as well as local experts in this ancient art form.  Many featured stories have been passed down through generations and cover Orkney's past right back to its very creation as told in the story of  Assipattle.