Folk Festival tickets are always in high demand, so keep an eye on the official Shetland Folk Festival website, where news about the visiting artists is posted from mid-January. Information on membership and advance booking is usually available from the end of January.
Every spring, Shetland welcomes musicians from around the world for its annual, much respected, celebration of folk music.
Date
1-4 May 2025
Location
Throughout Shetland
Address
5 Burns Lane, Lerwick
Postcode
ZE1 0EL
Link to Website
Social Media
The UK's most northerly folk festival is often regarded as the grandaddy of folk festivals. For performers, locals and visitors alike, the festival's "sessions" are amongst the best in the world. Visiting artistes are regularly struck by the quantity and quality of local talent and by the warm welcome they receive, staying not in hotels but in the homes of Folk Festival supporters.
Concerts are held all over Shetland and, on the final night, audiences in three large venues are treated to a marathon concert in which everyone has a chance to see all the 15 or so visiting bands. Despite the complexities, it all runs like clockwork, and it’s all achieved entirely by a voluntary committee.