First acts announced for 40th Orkney Folk Festival

The first list of acts due to appear at next year’s 40th Orkney Folk Festival has just dropped.

A stellar line up of talent from Orkney and beyond, the list includes a great mix of established musicians and up-and-coming acts.

Singer-songwriter, Kris Drever is set to return to Orkney, while many of the county’s most lauded acts, including The Chair, Erika Shearer, Hazel Wrigley and Saltfishforty will make an appearance.

Bands such as Fara and Gnoss, comprising mainly Orcadian musicians, are forging successful careers in Scotland and will also make highly anticipated returns.

From the Shetland guitarist and fiddler duo Ross and Ryan Couper, to Scottish folk stalwarts such as Elephant Sessions, Breabach and Kinnaris Quintet, and drawing in acts from further afield, including Katherine Priddy, Spiers & Boden, and Texas band Hot Club of Cowtown — The Orkney Folk Festival promises, as ever, to be one of the main highlights of the musical year.

Twenty-four acts have been announced as taking part as the folk festival celebrates its 40th anniversary, between May 25-28, 2023.

Pick up next week’s The Orcadian for a full rundown of the acts announced so far.