Ceilidh Trail – on tour
The Ceilidh Trail will return in 2022 and we are looking forward to seeing you all on the road then. You can find details of where the Ceilidh Trail will be performing below, just click through the tabs for your local area or where you plan to visit this summer, and we can’t wait to see you at one of the gigs!
The Ceilidh Trail will return in 2023: 10th July – 12th August. Put the dates in your diary and we will publish more information soon!
Tuesday 19th July, 9pm – The Old Inn, Gairloch – Session – Free entry
Wednesday 20th July, 12-2pm – Knockan Crag NNR, Ullapool – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/knockan-crag-national-nature-reserve
Wednesday 20th July, 9pm – The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool – Session – Free entry – https://www.theceilidhplace.com/
Thursday 21st July, 12-2pm – Loch Fleet NNR – Informal performance – 12-2pm – https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/loch-fleet-national-nature-reserve
Thursday 21st July, 7:30pm – Invershin Hotel (Sutherland Sessions) – Concert – http://www.invershin.com/
Friday 22nd July, 12-2pm – Rosemarkie Beach Café – Informal performance – https://www.facebook.com/rosemarkiebeach/
Friday 22nd July, 7:30pm – Seaboard Centre, Balintore – Ceilidh – https://seaboardcentre.com/
Saturday 23rd July, 3:30pm – Evanton Woods – Concert – Free entry – https://www.evantonwood.com/
Saturday 23rd July, 7:30pm – Victoria Diamond Jubilee Hall, Evanton – Ceilidh – £8/£5 – http://diamondjubileehall.co.uk/
Sunday 24th July, 12-2pm – Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre – Informal performance – Free entry (with admission fee) – https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/culloden/
Wednesday 27th July, 2-4pm – Highland Museum of Childhood, Strathpeffer – Informal performance – Free entry – https://highlandmuseumofchildhood.org.uk/
Wednesday 27th July, 9:30pm – Hootananny, Inverness – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.hootanannyinverness.co.uk/
Thursday 28th July, 12-2pm – Simpsons Garden Centre, Inverness – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.simpsonsgardencentre.co.uk/
Thursday 28th July, 4:30pm + 8pm – Under Canvas, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness – Concert – Free entry (pre booked tickets) – https://eden-court.co.uk/event/f%C3%A8is-rois-ceilidh-trail-naad-hara
Friday 29th July, 11am-1pm – Dalmore Farm Café, Alness – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.dalmorefarm.co.uk/
Friday 29th July, 4:30pm + 8pm – Under Canvas, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness – Concert – Free entry (pre booked tickets) – https://eden-court.co.uk/event/f%C3%A8is-rois-ceilidh-trail
Saturday 30th July – Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival – Concert – Ticketed – https://tartanheartfestival.co.uk/
Thursday 4th August – Black Isle Show, Muir of Ord – Free entry (with admission fee) – https://blackisleshow.com/
Thursday 4th August, 9:30pm – Hootananny, Inverness – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.hootanannyinverness.co.uk/
Friday 5th August, 12-2pm – Forsinard Flows NNR – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/forsinard-flows/
Friday 5th August, 7:30pm – Rosebank Playing Fields, Wick (Lyth Arts Centre) – https://lytharts.org.uk/
Saturday 6th August – Unexpected Garden, Alness – Informal performances – Free entry – https://dandelion.scot/programme/unexpected-gardens/the-field/
Sunday 7th August, 12-2pm– Highland Farm Café, Dingwall – Informal performance – Free entry – https://highlandfarmcafe.co.uk/
Wednesday 10th August, 12-2pm – Beinn Eighe NNR – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/beinn-eighe-and-loch-maree-islands-national-nature-reserve
Wednesday 10th August, 9pm – Bo & Muc @ The Torridon – Informal performance – Free entry – https://www.thetorridon.com/eat-drink/bo-muc/
Thursday 11th August, 8pm – Applecross Community Hall – Ceilidh – £10/£6 – https://www.applecrosshall.co.uk/
Friday 12th August, 2-4pm – Gairloch Museum – Informal performance – Free entry (with admission fee) – https://www.gairlochmuseum.org/
Friday 12th August, 7:30pm – Gairloch Community Hall – Ceilidh – £10/Free for Under 18’s and those in full time education – https://gairlochcommunityhall.org.uk/
Saturday 13th August – Unexpected Garden, Alness – Informal performances – Free entry – https://dandelion.scot/programme/unexpected-gardens/the-field/
Tuesday 19th July, 4:30pm-7:30pm – MacArts Theatre, Galashiels – Family ceilidh – £12/£8/£30 (family)/Under 5’s free – http://www.macarts.scot/#
Wednesday 20th July, 7pm – Abbey Kirk, Abbey St Bathans – Concert – £10/£8 – https://www.abbeykirk.com
Thursday 21st July, 12-2pm – Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre, Peebles – Informal performance – Free entry – https://eastgatearts.com
Thursday 21st July, 8-11pm – Cross Keys Hotel, Kelso – Concert – Donations – https://www.cross-keys-hotel.co.uk
Friday 22nd July, 7:30pm – Heiton Village Hall – Concert – £5 – https://www.facebook.com/heitonvillagehall/
Saturday 23rd July, 12-2pm – Mellerstain House, Gordon – Informal performance – Free entry (with admission fee) – https://www.mellerstain.com
Saturday 23rd July, 7:30pm – House Concert hosted by Iain Fraser https://www.facebook.com/Capontreemusic Concert 7.30pm – Tickets available here
Thursday 4th August, 7pm – Kirkcudbrught Scottish Nights – Concert – Free entry – https://www.kirkcudbright.town/kirkcudbright-summer-festivities/scottish-nights/
Friday 5th August, 12-2pm – Mill on the Fleet, Gatehouse of Fleet – Informal performance – Free entry – https://millonthefleet.co.uk
Friday 5th August, 7:30pm-10pm – Craigdarroch Arms Hotel, Moniaive – Session – Free entry – https://www.facebook.com/craigdarrocharms
Saturday 6th August, 2-3pm – Wighton Heritage Centre (Friends of Wighton), Dundee – Concert – Donations – https://friendsofwighton.com
Saturday 6th August, 7:30pm – HMS Unicorn, Dundee – Concert – £8/£6 – https://www.frigateunicorn.org
Friday 12th August, 7.30pm – Falls of Clyde NNR – Concert – Donations – https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserve/falls-of-clyde/
The Ceilidh Trail is a paid summer job and professional development opportunity for outstanding young traditional musicians. We work with musicians between 16 and 25 who spend the summer playing music, travelling throughout Scotland and beyond, and gain experience playing for just about every kind of gig under the sun!
In the past, Ceilidh Trail participants have had the opportunity to collaborate with musicians from Australia, Canada, England and Wales who come on exchanges with us during the summer. Participants also take part in a training week before the tour begins, where they take part in workshops about live sound, performance skills and dance calling, and work in groups to arrange a varied set of tunes and songs.
If you have any questions about the Ceilidh Trail or want to ask about any accessibility requirements, please get in touch with Christian Gamauf or phone the Fèis Rois office at 01349 862600.
The contact with musicians from different parts of Scotland exposed me to a more varied repertoire of tunes and gave me an insight into some of the different stylistic aspects tied to place. Touring and travelling allowed a lot of down time to chat about experiences in the music industry and doing different sorts of gigs and playing to different sorts of audiences.
2017 participant
Background to the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail
Fèis Rois established its successful Ceilidh Trail programme in Ross-shire in 2000. Following the success of the Ross-shire Ceilidh Trail, Fèis Rois started a National Ceilidh Trail for Scotland in 2012. This project has since gone from strength-to-strength and provides opportunities for young musicians from across Scotland to perform in locations across the country, not covered by the smaller community Ceilidh Trails.
As well as covering a significant area of the Highlands, Fèis Rois’ Ceilidh Trails visit perform in venues across the whole of Scotland and further afield
Many previous participants of the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail have gone on to carve out successful careers in the Scottish music industry. These include Fraya Thomsen, Mairearad Green, Matheu Watson, Mischa Macpherson, and Rachel Newton.