Dust off the winter blues at
Orkney Blues Festival
APRIL 2026
Weekend passes available until April - book now to avoid disappointment
Only 1 Month until Orkney Blues Festival 2026
Spring is coming
This month, we will be releasing our event schedule for this year's festival weekend from Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th April 2026
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Tickets for all Events
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Festival Full Weekend Schedule
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Announcement of our Final Artist Line-up
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Venues confirmed for Orkney Blues 2026
Visit Stromness for our Festival
Welcome to the Orkney Blues Festival 2026 – the most Northerly Blues Festival in the UK!
We’re thrilled to have been nominated for “Best Festival” in the UK Blues Federation awards at the start of 2026. This recognition celebrates what we’ve always known: that a small community-based festival, run by passionate volunteers, can deliver world-class music and unforgettable experiences.
Whether you’re visiting from the south or joining us locally, we promise the warmest of welcomes, the best of island hospitality, and an incredible lineup of visiting and local artists.
This festival is for everyone who supports us – by buying tickets, performing, volunteering, and sponsoring. So enjoy the weekend, the music, the food, drink, and most importantly, each other. This is a celebration of blues music’s long and storied history, and we write a new chapter each year.
Love, The Orkney Blues Festival Committee x
DATES
📅 April 23-26, 2026
4 days of incredible blues music
VENUES
🎵 Multiple Venues
Ticketed shows + FREE pub gigs
ARTISTS
⭐ 30+ Artists
International headliners + local talent
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Weekend Pass Tickets
Don't Miss these Special Events
FREE WORKSHOPS
Saturday, April 25 @ The Royal Hotel
• Songwriting with Richard Townend
(11.00am)
• Blues Guitar Basics with Colin Black (1:30pm)
• From Blues to Jazz with Colin Black (2:30pm)
All workshops are FREE!
CHARITY BIKE SHOW & CRUISE
Sunday, April 26 @ Stromness Harbour
Live music, bikes, community. All profits to Soma’s Light SC10 & RBL Poppy Appeal.
We are delighted to have a bike show back during the festival weekend in Stromness.
FREE to attend (Bike entry £10)
Our Sponsors and Partners
VENUE & TRAVEL SPONSORS
The Royal Hotel
The Ferry Inn
Northlink Ferries
The Orcadian
Highland Park
Westend Hotel
British Legion (Stromness)
The Pomona Inn (Finstown)
The Gable End Theatre (Hoy)
MAJOR EVENT SPONSORS
Cooke Seafarms
Orkney Brewery
Swannay Brewery
The Orkney Distillery (Kirkjuvagr)
Stockans
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Scholes
K Swinney
D&H Law
Streamline Shipping Group
Argos
Wilson’s
Shorelands B&B
Brinkies Guest House