The very best of Cape Breton Island is showcased during nine magical days and nights of music, dance, scenery, and hospitality as the Celtic Colours International Festival presents 49 concerts and more than 200 cultural experiences in communities all over the Island.

The 27th Celtic Colours International Festival, presented by TD Bank, opens on Friday, October 6 at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre in a concert featuring Heather Rankin, Blazin' Fiddles, and Le Vent du Nord among others. The Festival wraps up in Sydney at Centre 200 on Saturday, October 14 with Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy welcoming some friends to the stage in the closing concert. In addition to concerts throughout the nine days, there are more than 200 community cultural experiences happening in every corner of the Island, providing loads of opportunities to take a deep dive into the culture.

Celtic Colours 2023 will welcome back some Festival friends from away including Béla Fleck, John Doyle, Allan MacDonald, Maggie MacInnes, Màiri Chaimbeul, Cathy Ann MacPhee, and Tim Edey. Among the artists playing at Celtic Colours for the first time this year are Iarla Ó Lionáird, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Diane Cannon, Vrï, and Ruth Keggin and Rachel Hair. Plenty of Cape Bretoners will also be on hand to celebrate the Island’s roots including J.P. Cormier, Mary Jane Lamond, Howie MacDonald, Heather Rankin, Dwayne Côté, Brenda Stubbert, and Béolach, along with some of the Island’s finest traditional singers, players, dancers, and culture-bearers.

For the full schedule and lineup of artists, or to buy tickets, visit celtic-colours.com.