Festival fever

Two festivals are kicking off around the county, both launching tonight. The sixth Orkney Ceilidh Weekend, organised by the Orkney Traditional Dance Association, will be officially launched this evening, at 7.30pm, in the Pickaquoy Centre.A packed programme of dance workshops and ceilidhs will run throughout the weekend, coming to an end on Sunday evening, April 15.

Meanwhile, in Stromness, the annual Jazz Festival will also get started tonight, featuring local and visiting jazz performers. Based mainly in the Stromness Hotel, this year’s event will see festival stalwarts, the Diplomats of Jazz, and Bill Salmond’s Louisiana Ragtime Band, performing in the hotel over the weekend. There will also be a special “Jazz Festival” service in Birsay’s St Magnus Kirk, this Sunday, April 15, at 7.30pm.