Feis Ile will return at the end of May this year, and it’s a brilliant time to visit Islay for some music, culture and a dram or two.
Always busy, it’s worth getting organised for Feis early, so here’s everything you need to know if you’re planning on attending this year.
Fèis Ìle is set to run from Friday 23 May to Saturday 31 May 2025.
This isn’t by any means a whisky-only festival - it’s a celebration of the island with music, dance, storytelling and a few whiskies. For those who are visiting to see the distilleries, the festival is arranged so that each of the main distilleries have their own day of events, which usually include tours and tastings as well as live music.
Over the course of the ten days, each distillery has a day where they host tours and tastings, with a range of live music taking place across Islay.
Highlights usually always include Ardbeg Day and Bruichladdich Day, which traditionally take place on the first Sunday and last Saturday.
Distillery days are are follows:
One of the highlights of the Festival is Bruichladdich Distillery day, the first Sunday, and the team are gearing up to welcome whisky enthusiasts from around the world to the aqua-clad courtyard on Sunday 25 May.
Situated on the serene banks of Lochindaal, Bruichladdich’s aptly named Rock’ndaal festival day is set to be bigger and better than ever before. A highlight of the whisky calendar, 3,000 festival goers are expected to attend for a day of live music, entertainment and single malt Scotch.
Over the years the Hebridean distillery has welcomed a raft of exceptional talent to perform on the courtyard stage, spotlighting local musicians and award-winning artists from all corners of Scotland.
Chart-topping singer-songwriter, Nathan Evans, will headline this year’s festival. Having shot to fame during lockdown for his viral ‘Sea Shanty’ performances online, Nathan has since skyrocketed to number one in the UK charts and is about to embark on a European tour. He will be joined on stage by pop-rock double act, and returning Rock’ndaal performers, Saint Phnx.
Guests will also enjoy live performances from Valtos, an electronic duo hailing from the Isle of Skye, singer-songwriter Cammy Barnes, trad favourites Trail West, and folk sensation Beluga Lagoon.
Tickets are available for Fèis Ìle events, which are on sale now including Fèis Ìle experiences at Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Port Ellen Distillery, which are expected to sell out.
Bruichladdich tickets are also now on sale and are priced at £25. Each ticket includes full-day access to Rock’ndaal and two free drinks tokens. Tickets will be available to purchase via their website or in-person from the distillery’s Visitor Centre on Islay.
Keep an eye on Fèis Ìle social media accounts, as well as those of your favourite Islay distilleries for updates.
Established almost 30 years ago, the festival of music and malt draws visitors from across the globe to the shores of the island each year to experience its community, culture, and its world-renowned whisky.
Fèis Ìle, which was initially staged to revive the island’s traditional Gaelic culture, has grown to become the major showcase for Islay’s food and drink operators.
Organised by a committee of volunteers and the island’s distilleries, the Fèis has recorded attendances of 9000 in recent years, three times its population.
