15th - 19th May 2024

15th - 19th May 2024

Bring your pipes and drums, your dancing shoes and your choir... and join in our 'Big Band' at Barbados Celtic Festival

Programme of events

Our programme of events gathers momentum. Click back here to see any updates and follow us on Facebook to see what’s new

Plan your trip

There’s a wealth of things to do and explore in Barbados. Or just kick back on the warm coral sands under a palm tree and relax. But if you are looking for further information to plan ahead, click here

About the festival

Here are further details, background and history.

Barbados Celtic Festival

A vibrant music and food festival celebrating the very deep history between the sunny Caribbean island of Barbados and the Celtic countries of Scotland, Ireland and Wales and all the areas of the world where the Celts flourish – in Nova Scotia in Canada, in Brittany in France, in north west Spain, in Australia.

Partners

We thank our festival partners who help us deliver success and enjoyment for participants and performers.  

Pipers and drummers join our BIG BAND from all over the world. You can join as an individual, with friends and family, with your mini band or your full pipe band.

In the 1990s Barbados enjoyed a wonderful concert from a Male Voice Choir, and in 2019 we repeated that wonderful experience. The Gwalia Singers from Swansea in Wales performed with their beautiful voices. They not only sang traditional Welsh ballads but also the famous “Beautiful Barbados”.

We have been privileged to host some of the top folk performers in the Celtic world in this little festival – from vocalist Eddi Reader from Scotland, to Alan Kelly from Ireland and the Mackenzie Brothers from Mabou Nova Scotia. The talented bagpipe maker Hamish Moore and his son Fin, Alan Macdonald from the island of Skye, Ross Couper the amazing fiddler from Shetland and the Riddell Fiddles from Selkirk. The Peatbog Faeries a band from Skye and Pipe Major Craig Muirhead from Strathallan School. The award winning FARA from Orkney and Sandra Macbeth from Glenelg.  John McCusker from Scotland, and Heidi Talbot vocalist.  and we have a wonderful line up for 2020 to be announced shortly.

Its a rich cultural exchange of music and food between the wonderful Bajans with their rich Celtic history, and the current music from around the world.

Join Us

If you would like to join our main Events please get in touch at celticfestivalbarbados@outlook.com.