Cape Breton welcomes Celtic Colours Festival to Nova Scotia for 28th year
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19. The annual event happens during the peak of the colourful changes to the island’s fall foliage. The hundreds who flock to the festival, come to see the changing of the leaves and listen to the music.
Dave Mahalik is the communications manager with the Celtic Colours Festival. With the exception of one year, he’s been with the festival since its inception 28 years ago.
"Fifty concerts, and there's more than 200 community cultural events all over the Island,” Mahalik said.
The festival provides an economic boost to the region. Since the first Celtic Colours Festival in 1997, the money generated might outnumber the fall leaves.
"I think we've brought in about $208 million in the time that the festival has been on, and that's just direct spending”, Mahalik said.
Blair Brown is one of three transportation coordinators with Celtic Clouts. He has been part of the festival since its second year.
"Right now, we have 38 drivers”, Brown said. "When you spend the day with an artist, you get to know them personally and you become friends. So right now, I've got friends all over the world that I talk back and forth to that I've met at the festival."
The huge chart on Brown’s wall is a testament to the planning and logistics involved in getting artists and their equipment to and from airports and hotels to performances in every part of Cape Breton.
Even though she’s been with the festival from the beginning, Mahalik said the combination of Celtic music and fall colours never gets old.
"The thing I always note is the first night that I get out to Festival Club - which is the late night event up here at the Gaelic College”, Mahalik said. “And I look up, and the stars are the same stars that they were last year. Like, I don't get out much in the night time anymore with a youngster and I don't get to look up in the sky often enough in the night time, but this is the time through this week that I always look up and I go 'Oh yeah, right. Here we are.'"
Celtic Colours 2024 wraps up with its grand finale concert - featuring Grammy Award-winning piper Carlos Nunez - Saturday night at Sydney's Centre 200.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It really hurts': The impact of Trump's lies in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio was once a manufacturing hub. Now, people know it for Trump's comments at September's presidential debate, when he famously - and falsely - told an audience of 67 million people that Haitians eat their pets, echoing claims that had circulated on social media.
Iran's supreme leader threatens Israel, U.S. with 'a crushing response' over Israeli attack
Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with 'a crushing response' over attacks on Iran and its allies.
Auto theft probe leads to arrest of 59 suspects, recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles: Toronto police
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.
B.C. mayor's 'luxury' trip to Dubai climate conference was against ethics rules: commissioner
New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone's all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai for a climate conference last December violated the city's Code of Conduct for Council Members and the Community Charter, the city's ethics commissioner has ruled.
At-home brain stimulation relieves symptoms of depression, study finds
A headset worn at home that zaps the brain with the energy of a 9-volt battery could help relieve symptoms of depression, a new study shows.
WATCH 'It's mind-boggling': Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s
Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania: remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
Eva Longoria is still making money off of 'John Wick'
In an interview with Business Insider, Longoria talked about investing in the 2014 hit movie after the budget fell short before filming began.
Democrats Abroad Canada warns U.S. voters to take action ahead of possible Canada Post strike
Democrats Abroad Canada is warning Americans that a potential postal workers strike this weekend could affect the ability to vote in next week's election.