Celebrate island culture and heritage this autumn and winter with an action-packed line-up of exciting events as part of the Year of Scotland’s Islands festivities.

Royal National Mod
Lewis
14-22 October 2011

Scotland’s premier Gaelic festival returns to the Outer Hebrides in 2011, providing opportunities for people of all ages to celebrate Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage, including Gaelic music and song, dance, instrumental, drama and literature.

Although the focus of the Royal National Mod is on competition, the event also offers a wide and comprehensive programme of non-competitive events which include performances from some of Scotland’s top traditional musicians and Gaelic singers.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/64/royal-national-mod

Scottish International Storytelling Festival (Summary of Island-Based Events)

21-30 October 2011

An ideal place to discover Scotland’s treasure-trove of stories in a lively celebration of storytelling performance exploring the links between Scotland’s rich storytelling heritage and other cultures. These island-based events take place on Bute, Fair Isle, Iona, Cumbrae, Mull, Skye, Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides.

This year the Festival is all about exploring and pursuing the island experience through story, myth, music, song and dance. Greek and Roman myths mix with sagas of the Celts in this ten day festival. Enjoy the traditions of Scotland’s Islands alongside Mediterranean tale spinners and musicians from Corsica, Sardinia, Malta, Greece and Cyprus.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/502/scottish-international-storytelling-festival-(summary-of-island-based-events)

Comedian Ed Byrne
Shetland mainland (24 October 2011 )
Orkney mainland (25 October)

As an observational stand up Ed Byrne, has played in major comedy venues across the UK and Ireland, including the Vaudeville, Riverside, and New Ambassadors theatres in London, and the Gaiety, Olympia, Ambassador, and Vicar St. theatres in Dublin. His UK tours and regular TV appearances are always hugely popular and well received by the critics.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/447/comedian-ed-byrne

Night Time Tour of the Spectacular
Mount Stuart
Bute
27 October 2011

Mount Stuart is claimed to be Britain’s most astounding Victorian gothic mansion. An opportunity to experience the house at its most peaceful. By candlelight and torchlight, your guide will lead you through the house on a specially devised route, taking in many private areas of the house.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/507/night-time-tour-of-the-spectacular-mount-stuart

Shetland Food Festival
Shetland Mainland
5-13 November 2011

A celebration of mouth-watering Shetland produce, including some more unusual specialities such as seawater oatcakes, Shetland Black potatoes and more-ish fudge!

Food lovers’ events include cookery demonstrations, producers’ markets and Christmas craft fair. There’s also a ‘Ready, Steady, Shetland’ cook-off, where Shetlanders present their take on the popular TV programme, Ready, Steady, Cook.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/440/shetland-food-festival
Harris Tweed – Past, Present and Future (celebrating the centenary of the Orb 1911-2011)
Lewis
18 November 2011

This one-day event marks the centenary of the orb by reviewing the history of this vitally important and distinctive island industry with a variety of engaging talks, poetry, film, story-telling and discussion sessions.

Arranged by the Island Book Trust in conjunction with the Harris Tweed Authority, the event will bring together people from different backgrounds to celebrate the island’s successes and achievements and reflecting on the current and future challenges it faces.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/536/harris-tweed—past-present-and-future-(celebrating-the-centenary-of-the-orb-1911-2011)

The Ba
Kirkwall, Orkney mainland
25 December 2011 and 01 January 2012 

Forget about running with the bulls in Pamplona, for a truly fierce street sport, visitors should head to Orkney on either Christmas morning or New Year’s Day to watch in the annual Ba’ competition. Starting outside the majestic St Magnus Cathedral before raging through the streets of Kirkwall, The Ba’ is a traditional game of street rugby with participants from the opposing teams, The Uppies and The Doonies fight over the much prizes locally handmade leather Ba’ (ball). Spectators are welcome but be careful!

www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/491/the-ba

Up Helly Aa
Shetland mainland
31 January 2012

Shetland’s biggest fire festival, Up Helly Aa, celebrates Shetland’s history with a series of re-enactments, culminating in a torch lit procession and Viking Galley burning.  Considering it’s held in mid-winter on the same latitude as southern Greenland, Up Helly Aa has never been cancelled

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/434/up-helly-aa

Papay Gyro Nights 2012 Art Festival
Pap Westray, Orkney
6-13 February 2012

Papay Gyro Nights is an international film and video art, contemporary art, music and architecture festival based on folklore and tradition of Orkney. The Festival takes place in unique and remote settings on the island of Papa Westray. The idea of the festival has originated from the ancient Papay tradition of the Night of The Gyros. The Festival is also a reflection the island’s landscape and heritage as well as interpretation of tradition and ritual.

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/festivals-events/info/274/papay-gyro-nights-2012-art-festival

For more information on the Scotland’s Islands initiative visit: www.scotlandsislands.com

Source: Profile Plus