25/07/2025
Friday's diary of community events. For inclusion in the diary, please make sure you let us know the details before 4pm the previous day. Email [email protected] or phone 87 3939.
There’s lots happening in Stromness this weekend for Shopping Week – and today there’s a Fun Gala at the Pool at ten, a Baking Competition at the Eventide Club open from ten till twelve, the Community Centre hosts a Coffee Morning from ten till half past twelve and a Craft Session from half past ten till twelve.
There’s a Fancy Dress Bookbug at eleven at the Warehouse Buildings. The Children’s Fun Sports are at half past eleven at the Market Green, with the Children’s Fishing competition at one o’ clock at the South Pier, followed by the Crabbing Competition at half past two. And grab some Soup and Sandwiches from the SWI between twelve and two in the Church Hall
Stromness will take on Scalloway for the Charlie Johnson cup kicking off at six at the Market Green. The 3 Legged Fancy Dress Beer Race starts at seven – take something to tie your legs with! And the Scalloway Jarl Squad will perform at the Stromness Legion from nine o’ clock tonight.
Orkney Historic Boat Society will be displaying the 150 year old 14 foot North Isles yole Waterlily in front of the Stromness Hotel today and Saturday from ten till four.
The Stromness Flower Club exhibition in the Warehouse Buildings is open today from ten till four, and the morn between eleven o’ clock and three.
And Stromness Fire Station has an Open Day on Saturday between ten o’ clock and one.
Onto Saturday’s events and there’s Speed Pool at the Community Centre from ten till one, the Fun Harbour Swim is at eleven, and the 5 a side Football is at the Academy also at eleven.
The Children’s 3 Legged Fancy Dress Juice Race is at twelve at the Pierhead, and there’s a Lego Competition at the Warehouse Buildings between two and four.
The Penalty Kick competition is at half past one, and the Juvenile East West football kicks off at three – both at the Market Green.
The Shopping Week Fancy Dress Parade will go through the Street at seven o’ clock with the winners announced at the Market Green. Then it’s the Open Air Dance with Wayward from nine o’ clock, and the Fireworks Display at eleven o’ clock.
Now to the other diary items and the Firth Community Association 50 50 Sale is open today and Saturday from two o’ clock till eight in Firth Community Centre.
There’s a Bite and Blether at the Cromarty Hall this morning from twelve till two for a free soup lunch and the Book Room will be open.
It’s a Mind On collection today at the Council from twelve till half past one.
A Tour of the Cathedral Graveyard will meet at the Custodian’s Office at two o’ clock.
HMS Tern is open today and Sunday from eleven till four, with Tours at two o’ clock.
Liam McArthur will hold a Surgery in Westray School between one o’ clock and quarter to two and no appointment is needed.
A Prize Bingo in aid of the Royal British Legion Scotland is on tonight in the Kirkwall Legion with eyes down for half past seven.
The Hoy Produce Show is on Saturday at the Hoy Centre, open to the public at two o’ clock. Entries should be dropped off tonight between eight and nine, or the morn from nine till ten.
There’s a Saturday Bookbug in the Kirkwall Library at half past ten.
Amnesty International Orkney group will meet at eleven o’ clock in the Picky Centre Café.
A Silent Vigil to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages, unrestricted humanitarian aid, and a just peace for all, will be held at the Cathedral from one till two.
The summer series of 'Music for Malawi' lunchtime concerts starts on Saturday, with an organ recital in St Magnus Cathedral by organist Michael Mappin. The concert starts at 1pm and admission is free
Alcoholics Anonymous meets at six o’ clock on Saturday at the King Street Halls.
The film Wicked will show at the Cromarty Hall in the Hope on Saturday starting at quarter to eight. For tickets ring 831 550.
Saltfishforty are playing at a concert and short dance in the Rousay School on Saturday to raise funds for the Rousay Music Group. Doors open at half seven, admission is £5 – kids are free – and bring your own refreshments.
A Car Boot Sale will be held on Sunday in the Tesco Carpark from ten o’ clock till two. To book a space contact Paula on 07724 623 280.
The Garden at the Quoy of Houton will be open this Sunday afternoon from two o’ clock till five for the Scottish Garden Scheme and the Peedie Retreat. Light refreshments will also be available.
The Rangers take a Flower and Folk Belief Walk at the Ring of Brodgar on Sunday at three o’ clock.
Orkney Ramblers will meet at ten on Sunday at the Picky Centre for a walk up Wideford Hill. Check Facebook on the day in case of last minute changes.
At St Ninian's Kirk Deerness on Sunday from 2 till 4, you can meet the ancestors! The Friends of St Ninian's summer exhibition features the ongoing Newark Project's latest news including facial reconstructions. It's open Sunday and Wednesday afternoons till the end of August.
The ‘Finding Dr Garvie’ exhibition has now opened at the new Archive in North Ronaldsay, and will run until the 24th August. It remembers Beatrice Garvie and her life on North Ronaldsay in the 1930s and 40s. Also on show is work made by the ‘Orkney Women doctors Research Group’ recording the early women doctors who came to work in Orkney between the 1890s and 1940s.
St John’s Kirk Walls Heritage near Lyness is holding an Open Day on Sunday from half past one to half past five, for the formal opening of the new exhibition Uncovering Crockness and Rinnigill – with a display of work by artists with an island connection. There’ll also be Kirkyard Tours, Tea and Cakes, and a Shuttle Bus will run from the Scapa Flow Museum sign from one o’ clock onwards.
And the church service in Hoy is at Kirkside, Longhope at eleven o’ clock.
In Stromness there’s worship at St Mary’s at half past ten, and Stromness Baptists meets in the Town Hall also at half past ten. The service in the Stromness Church is at quarter past eleven, and Grace Church meets at half past eleven in the John Street Hall.
Early morning communion in the Cathedral on Sunday is at 9.30am. The morning service is at 11.15am
The services in Orphir & Stenness Kirk, in the Milestone Kirk, and in Rendall Church are at eleven o’ clock.
Into Kirkwall for Worship at St Olaf’s and the East Kirk both at ten o’ clock.
The service in the Peedie Kirk is at quarter past eleven, and Kirkwall Baptist Church also meets at quarter past eleven and again at seven o’ clock.
The Salvation Army has a morning service at half past ten in the St Magnus Centre, and then meet at the Life Centre at half past four.
Sunday Mass is held in the Catholic Church at half past five.
There’s a United Service in Westray Baptist Kirk at half past eleven, and the Papay service is at two o’ clock in St Ann’s.
And the services in the East Mainland Church and at St Margaret’s in the Hope are at eleven o’ clock.
The Street Gallery of Artworks showing in over 20 Stromness properties, and a Moti Collective Street Gallery at Northlight, Stromness, runs till this Sunday the 27th.
The Tides of Time exhibition by Kathryn Sclater and Audrey Cameron is open at the Loft Gallery in the Hope till Tuesday next week.
Jean Stout has an Exhibition of her Paintings showing in the Highland Park Shop Gallery on Albert Street till next Saturday the 2nd.
Jennifer Wrigley and Michael Biggins will be In Concert next Friday the 1st in the King Street Halls at seven for half seven. Tickets can be bought in advance from Ticket Source.
Clan’s Drop In is open Mondays to Thursdays from ten till four when anyone affected by cancer can call past. One to One appointments and complimentary therapies are also available, book on 87 33 93 or email: orkney @ clancancersupport dot org.
The Improving the Cancer Journey service is available to anyone in Orkney affected by cancer, with their non-clinical needs – such as financial, practical, physical, spiritual or emotional.
To learn more about the service, or to self-refer, email: ork dot icj @ nhs dot scot or phone 888 084.
The Life and Work of Jim Baikie is on display at the Orkney Museum, which opens Mondays to Saturdays between half past ten and five.
The exhibition at Stromness Museum is titled Powered by the People and tells the story of Orkney’s Renewable Energy.
The Summer Show at the Ship of Fools Gallery has paintings, prints and other 2D work by Megumi Barrington, Maiwenn Beadle, Ruth Brownlea, Peter Davis, Evie Donaldson, Sheena Graham George, Yvonne Harcus, Samantha Gray, Laura Johnston, Martin Laird, Gill Lewis, Phil Mumby, Stephen Redpath, Lorna Reid, Robinson RR, Adrian Smith, Jade Stout and Sue Wharman. The show also features pottery and glass by Nicholas Appleby, Donna Eunson, Belinda Glennon, Shaun Hall and Sally Moore. The Show is open Wednesday to Saturday from ten till four till the end of August.
The Pier Arts Centre has an exhibition marking the colourful life of Provost George ‘Doddy’ S Robertson on display till 2nd August. There’s also the exhibition of Paintings by Winifred Nicholson and Andrew Cranston, showing till 13th September – before opening at The Holburne Museum in Bath from October. Also the first survey exhibition of the work of Roger Ackling running till the end of October. And a chance to see the Prints created by members of Soulisquoy Printmakers which make up the peedie book which was part of the Welcome Pack for all Island Games competitors.
The Rangers take Guided Walks every day at the Stones of Stenness and Barnhouse at ten o’ clock, and at the Ring of Brodgar at one o’ clock. In addition, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at three o’ clock there are Ranger Walks along the Lochside through the Neolithic landscape at Brodgar. And on Sundays the Flowers and Folk Belief Walk at the Ring of Brodgar is also at three. All the Ranger walks are free, with no need to book, and everyone welcome.
Skara Brae evening tours run Monday to Thursday starting from half past five and to guarantee entry book online with Historic Environment Scotland.
HMS Tern is open for visitors on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from eleven o' clock till four, with guided tours at 2pm on those days, running till the end of September. All proceeds will go to Birsay Heritage Trust. There's no need to book, and for details see hmstern.co.uk
The Flotta Community Café is open Tuesday to Saturday between 12pm and 3.30pm till the 23rd of August.
Kirkwall Lifeboat Shop is open Mondays to Saturdays between twelve and three.
https://scotlandsgardens.org/the-quoy-of-houton/?f=%7B%22lat%22%3A58.936601%2C%22lng%22%3A-2.743876%2C%22adr%22%3A%22Orkney%2C%20UK%22%2C%22rad%22%3A%5B25%5D%2C%22t%22%3A%5B%22all%22%5D%7D
An unusual, historic, walled panoramic garden with 60-foot rill which leads the eye to the spectacular coastal views of Scapa Flow. Carefully planted to withsta ...
