Celtic Colours International Festival

09/11/2026

We're saddened to hear of the passing of Paddy Keenan, one of Ireland's most gifted and influential traditional musicians, a founding member of The Bothy Band, and a master of the uilleann pipes.

We're sharing this performance from his 2015 appearance at Celtic Colours as a small tribute to his talent and the joy he brought to our audiences. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the wider traditional music community.

Rest easy, Paddy.

Sabrina performed by Paddy Keenan with John Walsh. Recorded live at...

09/11/2026

✨A little bluegrass to kick off your Friday! Check out track 10 from Celtic Colours Live Volume 10: Farewell Medley: Highlander’s Farewell/ Monroe’s Farewell to Long Hollow by Lonesome Ace Stringband. Recorded atape Breton Highlands Academy during Celtic Colours International Festival 2022.

Tune in every Friday until the festival for a new video! 🎻

Money Musk performed by Pine Tree Flyers. Recorded during Celtic Co...

09/09/2026

✨30 Years of Memories✨
Celtic Colours 2026 • Your Memory Starts Here

For thirty years, this Festival has been shaped by special moments.
On stages across the Island. In halls, churches, and community spaces. Through music, conversation, and connection.

Each one part of a much bigger story.

Now, it continues.

In just 30 days the 30th Celtic Colours will take place October 9–17, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

09/03/2026

Chéticamp brings the music, dance, and Acadian spirit to Celtic Colours with two shows you won't want to miss. 🎻

⭐ Dancing Up a Suête — Sun, Oct 11, 2:00PM
Home to the famous southeast winds known as les suêtes, Chéticamp is also home to La Swing du Suête, a youth dance troupe (ages 10-17) dancing since 1997. Joining them is Les Étoiles Acadiennes, made up of alumni who aged out but kept dancing, plus guest dancers Christiane Theriault and Lorie-Lynn Comeau from Clare, backed by a crackerjack lineup of local and guest musicians.

⭐ L'eau Nous Relie (The Water Connects Us) — Tue, Oct 13, 7:30PM
Long before highways, the Gulf of St. Lawrence connected Québec, PEI, and western Cape Breton, and the tunes travelled with it. Chéticamp cousins Nicole and Michelle Deveau carry their Acadian roots in song, joined by PEI's Chaisson Family and Québec's André Marchand, Normand Miron, and Lisa Ornstein, three musicians who played the very first Celtic Colours in 1997.

Two shows, one community that has kept its dance and music traditions strong for generations. Come feel it for yourself in Chéticamp. 🍁

09/02/2026

Since 2014, Vibe Creative Group has been the creative hand behind how Celtic Colours looks to the world… every poster, every advert, every piece of branding.

Good design tells a festival’s story before a single note is played. Their work has shaped how thousands of people first encounter Celtic Colours, and we are so grateful for our partnership.

Thanks, Vibe! Here’s to many more years of making Celtic Colours look as beautiful on the page and screen as it is in person. 🍁🎻

09/01/2026

We're honoured to pay tribute to the legacies of Jean MacNeil and Eileen Forrester this year during the festival. In this video, Shawn MacDonald and Shannon Forrester share who's joining them for the concert The Legacies of Jean and Eileen, then hand things over to young dancers from the Forrester School of Dance for a step to close it out. That same spirit, generations coming together, is exactly what October 16th at the Savoy Theatre is about: family, friends, and former students honouring two women who helped shape Cape Breton step dance, highland dance, and music.

Learn more about this concert and get your tickets now: https://celtic-colours.com/events/the-legacies-of-jean-and-eileen/

08/31/2026

You won't want to miss this East Coast party! 🌊🎻

Bette MacDonald and Maynard Morrison are hosting a big old East Coast party at Centre 200 to celebrate 30 years of Celtic Colours International Festival.

⛏The Men of the Deeps
🎶Matt Andersen
🎻Còig
☘️The Irish Descendants

It’s going to be a lively one, so make sure you get your tickets early!

🎟www.celtic-colours.com/events/30-and-thriving-a-celtic-colours-east-coast-party/

08/28/2026

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Today we’re sharing track 9 from Celtic Colours Live Volume 10: John MacDougall Set: Adrian and Maria’s March/ Allan MacQuarrie’s Strathspey/ Archie Dan T.V. Reel/ A.A2-914 Reel/ B.719 Reel by Ian MacDougall, Kenneth MacKenzie, Mac Morin & Patrick Gillis. Recorded at Strathspey Performing Arts Centre during Celtic Colours International Festival 2022.

Tune in next week for a new video! 🎻

08/27/2026

🎻Born of Cape Breton’s deep musical traditions and raised on the rhythm of the Island, Good Crowd brings a tidal wave of sound.

Each member of this group is a proud independent recipient of the Festival Volunteer Drive’ers Association “Big Sampie” Award, a nod to their dedication, drive, and diversity that keeps the music alive. Together, they’re not just playing tunes—they’re crafting a sound that is rooted deeply within you, dances along with you, and stays with you.

Don’t miss them in St.Peter’s on October 16th! 🍂
🎟 https://celtic-colours.com/events/a-good-crowd-at-the-hall/

08/26/2026

You won’t want to miss Voices of Ireland! The combination of Don Stiffe, Ger O’Donnell, and Trevor Sexton is one of the most exciting things happening in Irish music in recent times, and we are thrilled to have them at the festival this year. These three powerhouses of Irish song bring together outstanding vocals, rich harmonies, and world-class musicianship for an unforgettable experience.

🎟Get your tickets to see them here: https://celtic-colours.com/artists/the-voices-of-ireland/

Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles.. The first of the 3 videos I r...