October 9th–17th, 2015 www.celtic-colours.com

The festival opens on Friday night, October 9th in Port Hawkesbury with a concert featuring Loreena McKennitt, The String Sisters, Artists in Residence Lucy MacNeil and Liz Doherty, and Sabra MacGillivray. The 2015 Celtic Colours International Festival, presented by The Chronicle Herald, promises nine days and nights of concerts and community events before wrapping up October 17th in Sydney with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, the Barra MacNeils and J.P. Cormier in concert at Centre 200. Artists from Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, USA, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, will join some of Cape Breton’s finest singers, dancers, and players in 47 concerts taking place in communities all over the Island.

For its 19th year, Celtic Colours is bringing back some Festival favourites including fiddler Liz Doherty, harp–player Laoise Kelly, piper Paddy Keenan, and We Banjo 3 from Ireland; piper Fred Morrison, and Gaelic singers Kathleen MacInnes and Mary Ann Kennedy from Scotland; and Helene Blum and Harald Haugaard from Denmark. April Verch and her band return along with banjo-playing balladeer Old Man Luedecke, beloved singer–songwriters Dave Gunning and Laura Smith, and the always delightful and entertaining Newfoundland duo Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne.

Talking to us from Sydney NS   Dave Mahalik said “We’re very excited to introduce Mec Lir from Isle of Man, Old Tyme fiddle legend Calvin Vollrath from Alberta, Irish-American trio Open the Door for Three and the Rachel Newton Trio from Scotland. Also making their Celtic Colours debut this year are The East Pointers from PEI, Matthew Byrne, Aaron Collis and Emilia Bartellas from Newfoundland and Labrador, and the String Sisters, a powerhouse group of fiddlers from Shetland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the US, some of whom are already old friends of the Festival.” This year, Celtic Colours is partnering with Cape Breton University to present the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention. NAFCo will offer fascinating papers and presentations to delegates and visitors, informative public workshops on fiddling, related instruments and dance, and exciting live performances during the Festival.

The 2015 Celtic Colours International Festival runs October 9th–17th. For the full schedule of events and artist information visit www.celtic-colours.com. Tickets went on sale Monday, July 6th, visit www.celtic-colours.com to book tickets.