For many Festival-goers, the Festival Club is at the heart of the experience. Open daily to Festival members, it’s where workshops are held, the legendary sessions occur and where we programme music that fills the days from start to finish.
More than just a venue, the Festival Club is the Festival’s beating heart - the central meeting point for performers, volunteers and visitors alike. Festival membership has many perks but access to the Club and it's many programmed activities is probably the number one benefit.
The Festival Club is open exclusively to Shetland Folk Festival members, volunteers and performers - but don’t worry if this is your first Festival. Anyone can become a Festival member.
Membership is renewed annually, with memberships going on sale each February. Once you’re a member, the doors to the daytime Festival Club will be open to you.
The Club is where people meet, tune up, dive into sessions, and soak up the buzz of a Festival where music is never far away. It’s open every day of the Festival and offers a wide range of non-ticketed daytime activities, all included with price of your membership. You can expect workshops, live programmed music on the Room 16 stage, and sessions - both organised and spontaneous - popping up throughout the building.
Sessions are a vital part of the Festival experience, bringing together local and visiting musicians to share tunes. And yes, you’re welcome to join in if you feel like it. Several rooms in the Club are used for sessions (three even have pianos), but don’t be surprised if the music spills onto a staircase, hallway or even a toilet cubicle!
The Festival Club is also home to the late-night ticketed events and sessions. Please note: to buy tickets for these late-night Club events, you must be a Festival member. All Festival members can access the sessions and late night Club programming on the Thursday evening BUT Friday and Saturday are exclusively ticketed due to higher demand.
We also actively encourage Festival members to buy concert tickets (particularly if you want to see a particular act) but in a cost of living crises, the Festival Club itinerary alone will provide attendees with a culturally rich experience.
Much of the daytime programme and the late-night Club line-ups is kept under wraps until closer to the Festival - so keep an eye out and be ready for a few unexpected surprises!!
The Festival Club is situated in Islesburgh Community Centre in the main town of Lerwick.
click here to see where Islesburgh Community Centre is located
As well as the sessions, workshops and live music, the Club also offers hot and cold food in the Central Cafe, and a well stocked bar run by local volunteers of the Lerwick Boating Club.
We will have various Festival merchandise on sale during the Festival in the Club. This will include hoodies, t-shirts etc.
All visiting artist merchandise will be sold at each concert venue they perform at.
Entry to the Club will be restricted to wristband wearing members during advertised opening hours. If you purchase a membership, you will receive a wristband that should be worn all weekend and shown to our volunteer stewards when arriving at the Club.
The daytime Festival Club is open to members from Thursday to Saturday, 11.00am-6.00pm and Sunday 11.00am - 5.00pm.
Very occassionally, the Festival Club may have restrictions on entry due to fire regulations. At these times, we ask you to form an orderly queue outside and you will be permitted access once a sufficient number of people have left.
Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
At peak times, the Festival Club and bars can become busy and congested. We ask you to always remember that our Club bar staff and stewards are volunteers, so please give them the respect they deserve (no matter how long the queue may be!).
Any person with accessibility challenges, please contact the Festival organisers in advance and we will be happy to make provisions (where we can) for early access for our programmed live music and activities held within the Club.
Islesburgh Community Centre has a lift that will take you up to the first floor where most of the action takes place.
No Smoking Policy - In line with Scottish Law, please remember that the Festival Club is strictly non-smoking. All smoking, including vaping should occur well outside of the Festival Club at the designated area.
