The Flower Festival

 Regular readers will be aware that we usually go to the annual flower festival organised by the Kirkwall Flower Arrangers and  held in the Cathedral every August. That said we somehow missed it last year, but I didn't want to do that again. When I looked it up last Friday I discovered it was this week. Eek! Lucky timing! 

We went today which was the first day of opening. It's good to go in the early days; the displays are there until after the service on Sunday morning but honestly if you wait util Saturday then they are looking very much past their best. There is no official entry fee but  I would have gladly chucked a donation into the relevant receptacle had  the people on duty at the table not all been far too busy chatting amongst themselves to acknowledge us, or give us the little handout describing the exhibits.  

I have to say our enjoyment was somewhat marred by the Cathedral being rammed, not only with people wanting to see the flowers but a boat load of cruise ship passengers who wanted to see the Cathedral. Cruise ships are a mixed blessing at the best of times, but when you actually want to go into your local town and do something specific there is no part of them that is a blessing, mixed or otherwise, they are a curse. 

So maybe my mood coloured my perception of the displays or maybe they really weren't as good as they have been in the past. It certainly didn't take us very long to get round them. The theme this year was annual celebrations, which is very reminiscent of one they have had before,  and I took a few photos, but not nearly as many as I have in the past. 

Still FWIW 

Bonfire Night

I can't remember which display these were from but I took a picture of them because, having leaned over them to look more closely at the colour, I discovered they were made of paper. Yes , Paper Roses. You can thank me for the ear-worm in the comments! 

This one is the sailing regattas that several parishes hold each year. I was impressed with the way the flowers were placed to represent sails. 

And this was our favourite, although it references Shetland rather than Orkney and is Up Helly Aa. Loved the boat, the axe, and just everything else about it. 

Wonder if we'll bother going again next year? I'm tempted to say yes, but we'll go on a day when there isn't  a cruise ship in. even while I know the concept of a day in August without at least one cruise ship in Orkney is just alien these days.