All three of our 2026 concerts — and the ceilidh! — will be held in the acoustically-perfect

Sanctuary Arts Centre

100 Ochterloney Street, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

The MacGillivrays: Troy MacGillivray, Kendra MacGillivray, and Sabra MacGillivray, & Patricia Murray

Our Thursday night concert has evolved into a festive celebration of Highland music and dance. Enter three siblings who are sure to delight! Troy is an accomplished, award‑winning fiddler and piano player. Kendra is a two‑time East Coast Music Award–winning Celtic fiddler. And Sabra is an accomplished dancer and a two‑time world finalist at the World Highland Dancing Championships in Dunoon, Scotland. The siblings rarely get the chance to perform together; and have promised to fill the hall with the music and dance of the Scottish Highlands they first heard in their childhood home in Antigonish County. Together, with expert accompaniment from Malcolm MacNeil, they’ll carry on the legacy of their storied grandfather, Hugh A. MacDonald.

With special guest, the beloved Gaelic singer: Patricia Murray

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

Cassie and Maggie, & Traverse w/ Nic Gareiss

With over 17 combined Canadian Folk Music, East Coast Music, and Music Nova Scotia awards and nominations, the JUNO-Nominated powerhouse duo, Cassie and Maggie, are an unstoppable force on the global folk stage. You'll love their magnetic energy, and the seamless way they weave their deep Celtic heritage with contemporary influences. Committed to not just preserving but also propelling Nova Scotia's folk traditions into new realms, Cassie and Maggie bring an exhilarating energy that is both timeless and irresistibly modern.

Traverse is a trio with fiddler Laura Risk, ReJigged veteran accordion and flute player, Nicholas Williams, and Maritime-based pianist, Rachel Aucoin. Another ReJigged veteran, the beloved dancer and storyteller, Nic Gareiss, joins Traverse as a partner and collaborator. Traverse’s self-titled debut album won the prestigious OPUS Prize for Album of the Year in Traditional Québécois Music. The band’s sound is heavily inspired by their deep-rooted immersion in traditional musical communities spanning from Montreal to the Gaspé, and over the ocean to Ireland and Scotland.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

É.T.É., Yaëlle Azoulay, Nic Gareiss, & Inn Echo
Join us for a post-concert ceilidh.

Our Saturday concert opens with É.T.É, a trio from Québec who’ll amaze you with their dynamic, modern take on Québécois trad. With influences from jazz, progressive rock, and classical music, Élisabeth Moquin, Thierry Clouette, and Élisabeth Giroux build their own trad universe through original compositions and fresh, inventive arrangements of tunes you may recognize from the Québécois and Acadian repertoire.

Joining them on stage is ReJigged veteran Yaëlle Azoulay, an extraordinary dancer from Québec who takes the music of the gigue and effortlessly alchemizes it into physical movement.

Named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch,” dancer and musician Nic Gareiss returns with a gem of a one‑man show.

Rounding out the night, we’re thrilled to welcome back JUNO nominees Inn Echo to enthral us with their undeniable chemistry and electrifying musicianship.

And after the concert, the fun doesn’t stop! We’ll clear away the chairs and have a ceilidh!

THE CEILIDH CONTINUES!

Keep the celebrations going after Saturday night's final concert with a free community ceilidh, open to all adults. No experience or partner is needed—one of our amazing callers will guide you through the dances, making it a fun, relaxed way to enjoy live music and join in the festival spirit.