Simmer Dim Festivities

[Njugle]

In the run up to the simmer dim, i thought it might be an idea to speak about what is actually all on this year.

 

The Bikers Rally starts on thursday, which seems early this year, but i am assured that this is because actual midsummer is mid-week next week. Saturday's program seems to offer even more 'silly games' than usual :tmbup;

 

Radio Scotland (More media coverage from Shetland!!:tmbup; ) is doing a special show through the night on midsummers, with Tom Morton doing a show late at night.

 

The Johnsmass foys are on too, though i ken next to nithin aboot them - Any body hae any recomendations for what is on?

[Hambone]

The Blues Festival is on this weekend

 

http://shetlandbluespodcast.blogspot.com/

http://www.shetlandblues.info/index.html

 

Johnsmas Foy

 

http://www.johnsmasfoy.co.uk

 

Flavour Of Shetland

 

http://www.flavourofshetland.com/

 

That should get you started. Putting together a podcast with some of the music associated with the Johnsmas Foy and the Flavour Of Shetland has music on the pier for three nights. PLus there is a big night in the North Star a week on Friday.

[Njugle]

Johnsmas Foy

 

http://www.johnsmasfoy.co.uk

 

Holy Moly! 52 events for the johnsmas foy alone! I was kinda underplaying my knowledge of it but i had nae idea it was that big!

 

Blues festival looks great too!

 

Flavour of Shetland compliments it all nicely.

BUT! is there any real reason why a lamb-burger should cost £3.50 or more? Hmm? Not a good deal on the family front Just a thought.

[turrifield]

£3.50 is a realistic cost for a quality burger were as 99p for a cheap fast food burger is actually too cheap even for something so crap.

[Lynnie]

ahem..... what's a simmer dim? and what's a foy? I gather the latter is some sort of party?

 

 

 

 

 

lynnie, who's struggling to keep up

[Hambone]

The Simmer Dim is - the twilight of a shetland summer evening

 

Foy - orginalyy a feast held by a boat's crew at the close of the fishing; later applied to a party to mark a special occassion.

 

From The Shetland Dictionary - John J Graham

[Njugle]

ahem..... what's a simmer dim? and what's a foy? I gather the latter is some sort of party?

lynnie, who's struggling to keep up

 

The simmer dim: In the middle of summer here it doesn't get dark at all, and on midsummers night, if you climb to the top of our highest hill, the sun only disappears for about an hour, as is the regularly used measure; you can read a newspaper at midnight. This nightly twilight is called the simmer dim.

 

It plays havoc with you sleep patterns! And on nights out and "foys" your body clock never says "time for bed" 'cos it's always light!

 

The pay back for this glorious time is of course the middle of winter, when it hardly gets light. Bodyclock- havoc!

[Lynnie]

Ooooh, ok! So when I was there last year in July.... and I was still sightseeing and climbing hills etc at 10:30pm... that was simmer dim?

[trout]

The simmer dim is the night of the summer solstice .. but yes - that is the gist of it

[Njugle]

Well that's it folks, "the nights are fair draain in noo" as some neap always says to me today/tomorrow(and already has), you know who you are, yep that's the longest day by with. Was anybody up Ronas Hill? I went up a different hill this year, not quite but nearly as high but better views. It was beautiful, but alas there was one thing lacking and that was the bizarre and regular scenario of meeting other nuts on top of a hill at midnight, as is always the case on Ronas Hill. In fact every time i've been up there for the solstice there have been several other people......hmm, maybe i should set up a hotdog stand next year, that would really freak them out.

 

Happy midsummers to all.