Fèis Ìle, The Islay Festival

The Islay Festival (Fèis Ìle in Gaelic) is our island’s festival of whisky, music and culture. It takes place annually during the last week of May. Here at Peatzeria, we are so looking forward to this year’s event! So, let’s take a look at what’s on at the Islay Festival, happening Friday 24th May to Saturday 1st June 2019.

What’s on at Islay Festival 2019?

Fèis Ìle is more than a whisky festival, it’s a celebration of Islay culture, covering music, dance, sports, our language and traditions. Of course, whisky features very highly on the list too! This year’s diverse programme kicks off with the First Fling, and ends with the Final Fling. These ceilidhs with traditional Scottish music and dance are always sell-out events. In between, there’s plenty of music, comedy, storytelling, bowling, gin and whisky tasting planned. There’s even a mist’ery tour to “who knows where”!

Islay Distilleries Open Days

Our small island is home to many Scotch whisky distilleries. It’s the perfect location for producing smoky whiskies. This is due to the abundance of peat we have here, which gives Islay whiskies their signature rich flavour. During the week of the festival, many Islay distilleries hold open days, so you can visit them, discover how whisky is made and take part in special events and tastings. This year, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Caol Ila and many more distilleries will be taking part.

Fly Fishing Competitions

For keen anglers, there are also fly fishing competitions happening throughout May. These will be held at Lossit Loch Dunlossit Estate, Loch Gorm and Finlaggan.

Plan your 2019 Visit

This year’s Islay Festival is set to be another fantastic celebration of all things Islay. So, what are you waiting for? Come and visit our stunning island in the Southern Scottish Hebrides and experience the festival for yourself. And don’t forget to stop by our family-run Pizza Restaurant to try our delicious Islay Festival Specials. We hope to see you soon!