Each fall, Cape Breton hosts the Celtic Colours International Festival, when dozens of local and international musicians perform at venues around the island. This year, the 13th-annual festival runs Oct. 9-17.
Traditional Cape Breton music has many styles, reflecting Irish, Scottish and French traditions. The first Gaelic people arrived in Cape Breton in 1629, and Celtic music and culture have flourished ever since.
The music is fabulous, the venues range from intimate pubs to large halls and the autumn colours are at their peak. I absolutely, toe-tapingly, dancing-in-the-aisles love it.
Artists back again this year include Ashley MacIsaac, J.P. Cormier, Cyril MacPhee, Maire O'Keeffe, Buddy MacDonald, Mairi Rankin and Troy MacGillivray, to name just a few.
This year focuses on the influence of Irish music and culture, and the festival kicks off with "Island to Island: The Cape Breton-Ireland Musical Bridge" in Port Hawkesbury on Oct. 9.
Twenty-four artists from Ireland will be participating in the festival this year.
"They represent the best of the various traditions including Donegal fiddling, the Irish harp, uilleann piping, Irish Gaelic and sean nos (meaning "old style") singing and dancing, accordion, sean nos dancing, and story telling," says Artistic Director Joella Foulds.
Some of the visiting Irish artists include Laoise Kelly from the Bumblebees, Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh of Altan, and Liam o Maonlai.
Returning from Scotland this year is the fiddle harp duo Chris Stout and Catriona McKay, fiddler Sarah McFadyen from Harem Scarem and the Unusual Suspects, Mairi Campbell, and Gaelic singer Brian O hEadhra.
Canadian artists this year include Le Vent du Nord from Quebec, fiddler Sierra Noble from Manitoba, and Jim Payne & Fergus O'Byrne from Newfoundland, while Abby Newton and Kim Robertson will be travelling from the U.S.
This year, there will be concerts paying tribute to influential Cape Breton fiddlers Sandy MacIntyre, Angus Chisholm and Jerry Holland.
There are also a couple of very special shows including Suite Silver Dart, featuring Symphony Nova Scotia, and a show called The Fiddle Tree in Sydney Mines at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church featuring Otis Tomas. Also, there's Traveling Tunes with Artists in Residence Paul Cranford from Cape Breton and Maire O'Keeffe from Ireland, plus lots of shows featuring Gaelic song, piping, fiddling and traditional dance as well as the Acadian roots of Cape Breton's music.
Again this year there will be an extensive program of learning workshops including: Celtic quilt making; step and square dancing; songwriting; lessons in violins, fiddles and harps; fine arts and crafts demonstrations; storytelling classes; films and calligraphy,
Front and centre is the Gaelic Heritage Centre at the Gaelic College in St. Ann's, where you can learn more about Gaelic arts, crafts, music and dance.
In between concerts, visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck, where 100 years ago, the Silver Dart, the first powered airplane, flew in Canada.
From Baddeck, it's easy to link up with the Cabot Trail. The 300-km drive takes you through the pretty and tranquil Margaree Valley over to the north shore and Cheticamp, rich with Acadian culture and history, and then on through spectacular Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
The twisting, turning route takes you up and over the French and Mackenzie Mountains to the aptly named Pleasant Bay, then over the North Mountains and eventually coming out to the sea on the other side and down on through the Ingonishes. The autumn leaves are an artists' palette of crimson, orange and gold.
For history buffs, the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site shouldn't be missed. Fifty recreated buildings set the scene back to 1744 when the site was a centre of trade and commerce under command of the French. Costumed interpreters know their stuff and make everything from tending animals to making old-fashioned chocolate lots of fun.
Nearby, the Louisbourg Playhouse is a historic venue for music, dance, theatre and comedy offering an intimate setting in the round. The regular season runs from June to October. And true to Cape Breton hospitality, tea and oat cakes are served free at intermission.
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CAPE BRETON
SHOWS ITS TRUE COLOURS
For details on the Celtic Colours festival, see celtic-colours.com. Tickets can be purchased online or call 1-888-355-7744.
For more on Cape Breton, contact cbisland.com, visitbaddeck.com, novascotia.com, pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/grahambell/index.aspx, pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/index.aspx louisbourgplayhouse.com and gaeliccollege.edu.
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