The dust from Mount Hekla’s 1845 eruption is said to have given Orkney’s potatoes a fine flavour. Could rock dust improve soil and help crops today? This year we're trying it with carrots. Growers in Moray and Orkney have set aside areas with and without volcanic rock dust, and with this year a difference – trying also dust from Orkney’s Cursiter Quarry. Hospitality students at UHI Orkney serve a selection of carrots, for you to taste and compare, and several people give insights on soil, crops, and cooking.

Join the European Marine Energy Centre for ocean energy talks at its main office in Stromness. Learn about innovative projects harnessing the power of Orkney’s seas, storing energy as green hydrogen, and creating e-fuels to decarbonise aviation.

It’s a great sight on Broad Street in front of the Cathedral, with an opportunity to see over a hundred years of vintage vehicles, classic cars and tractors in between; and all beautifully restored. Members of Orkney Vintage Club look forward to welcoming you. Street food is available from Orkney Food & Drink members from 11 am.

Kirkwall City Pipe Band hold their final parade of the season on Broad Street on the Saturday evening of the Festival, which this year will be 6 September 2025.

Robert Rendall explored the essence of Orkney life in his poems with the same questing approach that he took to his studies of the Orkney shore. For this year’s St Magnus Festival’s Johnsmas Foy, Issy Grieve and Greer Norquoy wrote and produced a multi-media event about his life and his contribution to Orkney.

It’s the only mill in the world that grinds bere, and you can explore it today and enjoy a range of activities. Try grinding bere yourself, with a replica hand quernstone from Orkney Museum. Take a closer look at the grain under a microscope. Hear a story from Tom Muir, or see Diane Clouston demonstrating how to make a bere bannock. Beiting & Brew will be there with their food trailer and a special bere-themed menu.

Conducted by the Rev. Barbara Quigley, with the St Magnus Cathedral Choir. “Whether you come from north or south, east or west, whether you live here or are a visitor, are here for the first time, or are here regularly … you are welcome to our worship,” they say.

Join civil engineer Neil Kermode, Steve Sankey and Capt. Bill Spence for a bus tour across the Barriers to hear about their construction and their impact, stopping at each one to get a fuller picture of the scale of the work. The route includes a visit the Old Kirk in Holm to see the exhibition of photos of the building of the Barriers. On the way back there are refreshments at the Barrier View Café, built on the site of the Rockworks, one of the former construction camps.

The robots are coming! And here’s an opportunity to meet four of them on their expedition north from the National Robotarium in Edinburgh, each with different skills. Pepper recognises faces and basic human emotions. Spot is agile, with jointed legs, able to navigate carefully across all sorts of terrain. G1 didn't manage to get a name but can walk and react with human dexterity. And then there's Ameca ... who can laugh and shrug as well, and even dance!

A one-day exhibition inside one of the buildings of the former World War II airfield. There are vintage cameras on display, along with a wide range of wartime photographs taken by 771 Naval Air Squadron who were based there. Andrew Hollinrake will be there all day to answer questions about the Photographic Unit.

For would-be and why-not dancers of all ages, with the Craig Mainland Band featuring Craig on accordion and Sinclair Taylor on drums. They’re going to start with the traditional Orkney version of the Eva Three Step, and then just to make sure they get everyone on the floor, they’ll follow with an Orcadian Strip the Willow. The evening includes supper and musical guests Twa Folk (Irene Watt and Graham White).