This year’s Shetland Folk Festival – sometimes regarded as the granddaddy of folk festivals – sees yet another eclectic and innovative line up of visiting artistes when it takes place on 27th April – 30th April 2006.

In its 26th year, the UK’s most northerly folk festival is regarded a prestigious event for performers, locals and visitors alike. The festival’s “sessions” are amongst the best in the world and visiting artistes are regularly dumbfounded by the quantity and quality of local musicians that these remote isles have to offer.

This year, the organising committee are thrilled to announce a line up that includes one of Scotland’s most successful, respected and popular musicians - the legendary Dougie MacLean. He will be gracing the stage at the festival’s largest concert venue on Saturday the 29th but will also participate in the “Festival Foy” events on Sunday 30th. These “Foy” concerts are unique to Shetland and give audiences an opportunity of seeing all visiting acts in one evening. Held over three venues in Shetland’s capital, Lerwick, the visiting artistes are shuffled between halls by mini bus and perform in each venue for around 15 minutes. It’s crazy but it works!

Most visiting musicians will be in Shetland for the festival’s duration, playing at different venues throughout the isles alongside fantastic local acts such as Fiddlers Bid and Jillian Isbister. Also on the bill from Scotland are the infamous Tannahill Weavers; a recently formed duo called Finniston; Session A9 - whose live shows have earned their musicians the title “Scotland’s Supergroup” - and Back of the Moon, this year’s winners of Best Folk Band at the Scots Trad Music Awards.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean to put in an appearance at this unique festival are three musically diverse outfits. Fresh from winning a Grammy for his latest album, Fiddler’s Green, Tim O’Brien is returning to Shetland for another festival appearance. Joining him is sister Mollie O’Brien and number of their bluegrass friends. What a treat!! Travelling from Austin, Texas is a new trio formed by violinist and singer Elana James Fremerman (formerly the driving force behind the “Hot Club of Cowtown”). Elana James and the Continental Two will be wowing audiences with their hot jazz, western swing and gypsy music. Completing the American contingent are Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan with their unique blend of guitar and harmonica blues, rags and goodtime music.

The festival is also boasting a strong Irish delegation for it’s 26th celebration. The amazing young guitarist Tim Edey will accompany singer, accordionist and storyteller Seamus Begley while Cushtie are an exciting new Irish band that will be featuring at this year’s festival club. The Saw Doctors are also putting in an appearance while family group Carmel Sheerin and the Ravens will be taking breaths away with their clean harmonies rooted in American country and bluegrass music. In fact, in May 2005 this Irish group were voted number 1 European Bluegrass Band at the prestigious European World of Bluegrass Festival in Holland.

As if this wasn’t enough, the infectious Cajun dance rhythms of the Flatville Aces are also on offer while festival organisers are bringing Slovakian band Brothers Zamiszkovci back to the isles as well as inviting Estonian folk band – Vägilased – for an exclusive UK debut. A truly international line up!

So, if you’re tempted to make your way up to the most far-flung folk festival in the UK, you may be interested in knowing that its unofficial opening is on Wednesday the 26th of April, on an overnight ferry somewhere in the middle of the North Sea. An event in itself! For more information on this festival see www.shetlandfolkfestival.com  or telephone 01595 694757.