Curtain about to rise on 27th Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton

It's that time of year when the leaves start to change colour and toes start tapping in Cape Breton. It's a combination that has become synonymous with early October on the island, with the 27th Celtic Colours International Festival just a day away from its opening curtain.

"Oh, I'm excited to get it going,” said Dave Mahalik, Celtic Colours’ communications and information officer.

This year's festival features nearly 50 shows all over the island - roughly 30 of which are sold out.

Organizers say there are still tickets available for the others, including the opening and closing concerts, which feature some familiar names.

"We've got Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy performing in the closing show. We've got Blazing Fiddles from Scotland and Le Vent du Nord from Quebec,” said Mahalik.

"Those nine days of Celtic Colours would be equivalent to our busiest times in the middle of the summer,” added Destination Cape Breton CEO Terry Smith.

Some people come for the music, but stay for the fall colours - or the other way around.

Either way, it's a big tourism boost before the long Cape Breton winter.

"A number of years ago, an economic assessment was done for Celtic Colours, and I believe it was about $18 million that gets introduced into our economy over a nine-day period,” Smith said. “So, it's significant."

Of course, this year's Celtic Colours comes on the heels of a big loss.

Bruce Guthro passed away Sept. 5, and his contributions at previous festivals are still fresh in the minds of his many musical friends.

"Bruce never failed to gather a bunch of folks together to sing songs, whether it was on stage, in the green room, or out on the back step, or wherever it was,” Mahalik said. “So we'll be missing that, that sort of camaraderie that he would bring, and I'm sure that we will find a special way to remember."

Celtic Colours 2023 opens Friday night at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre.

The festival wraps up the following Saturday at Centre 200 in Sydney.

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