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Live Music & Céilidhs

Cape Breton Island is alive with music, from the lively fiddle to the rhythm of traditional dance. Join a céilidh (kay-lee) for an evening of Celtic tunes, song and joyful square dancing. From cozy pubs to community halls, live music is at the heart of Island life.

67 Results

painting of two men on a sailboat

Dec

13

Saturday Afternoon Fiddle Matinee at the Doryman

Chéticamp & Area

Aug 16 – Dec 27

fiddler and piano player plauing to a crowd in a pub setting

Dec

13

Céilidh Matinee at the Frolic’n Folk

Iona & Area

Feb 8 – Dec 27

man playing guitar in front of microphone

Dec

13

Weekend Wakeup with Ed Burke at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery

Sydney & Area

Dec 13

a man in a ball cap sitting down

Dec

13

from
$11

Aaron MacDonald at The Club

Sydney & Area

Dec 13

six people posed as old folks

Dec

13

from
$75

Christmas Chaos at “The Home” – Dinner Theatre at the Miners Forum

Glace Bay & Area

Nov 15 – Dec 20

image of a band and text

Dec

13

from
$20

Fire Valley Fire / Claw Machine at Breton Brewing

Sydney & Area

Dec 13

five people wearing Santa hats posed with musical instruments

Dec

13

Full Circle at The Steel City

Sydney & Area

Dec 13

woman posed in a Christmas motif

Dec

13

Heather Rankin Christmas at Place des arts Père-Anselme-Chiasson

Chéticamp & Area

Dec 13

graphic of a man in a nightshirt floating amidst ghostly images

Dec

13

Highland Arts Theatre presents A Christmas Carol

Sydney & Area

Dec 10 – Dec 14

text with a Christmas motif

Dec

13

Inverness County Singers and Young County Singers present “Tell The Story”

Whycocomagh & Area, Mabou & Area, Inverness

Dec 12 – Dec 16

Little Church in Big Baddeck Concert Series: The Once

Dec

13

Little Church in Big Baddeck Concert Series: The Once

Baddeck & Area

Dec 13

graphic image of a red barn with text

Dec

13

from
$25

Slowcoaster / Mae Rivers / The Lotoyas at he Red Farm

Sydney & Area

Dec 13

group selfie

Dec

13

Thick As Thieves at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery

Sydney & Area

Dec 13 – Dec 14

man and woman onstage playing fiddle and piano for dancers offstage

Dec

14

Sunday Ceilidhs at the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre

Judique

Jun 1 – Dec 29

a group of people playing musical instruments

Dec

14

Trad Sessions at the Doryman

Chéticamp & Area

Aug 17 – Dec 28

christmas text and graphics

Dec

14

from
$8

Christmas Tea at the Creignish Recreation Center

Judique

Dec 14

christmas themed graphic with text and image of santa clause

Dec

14

from
$39

Christmas with the Turnbull Brothers at the Savoy

Glace Bay & Area

Dec 14

three women dancing with a christmas motif background

Dec

15

from
$60

Christmas at Sacred Heart Downtown 2025

Sydney & Area

Nov 27 – Dec 18

a man playing guitar next to a christmnas tree in a pub setting

Dec

16

Open Mikey at Governors Pub & Eatery

Sydney & Area

Mar 4 – Dec 16

woman playing guitar and singing into microphone

Dec

17

Tori McDougall at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery

Sydney & Area

Dec 17

text

Dec

17

Wednesday Sessions at the Admiral

Port Hood

Jun 4 – Dec 17

large crowd of people playing instruments

Dec

17

The Kimberley Fraser Sessions at the Old Triangle

Sydney & Area

Aug 27 – Dec 17

text with an image of an old fashioned microphone

Dec

17

Open Mic Session at the Sydney Curling Club with Once Again

Sydney & Area

Dec 3 – Dec 17

two men posed with guitars

Dec

17

A Gunning & Cormier Christmas at the HAT

Dec 17 – Dec 18

photo of an orchestra

Dec

17

Joyful Christmas Time at the Boardmore Theatre with the Second Wind Community Band

Sydney & Area

Dec 17

image with text

Dec

17

Unplugged Open Mic at the Diamond with Shane O’Handley

Sydney & Area

Apr 2 – Dec 17

a group of people playing fiddles gathered around a piano

Dec

18

Traditional Thursday Session at the Blue Mist

Bras d'Or & Boularderie Area

Jan 9 – Dec 18

photo of long-haired man's head with text

Dec

18

from
$33

Jon Bryant at the Strathspey Performing Arts Cntre

Mabou & Area

Dec 18

man on stage playing guitar and singing

Dec

18

Open Mic with Brian Cathcart at Daniels

Sydney & Area

Oct 2 – Dec 18

stylized text

Dec

19

Jazz Showcase at Daniels Alehouse

Sydney & Area

Oct 3 – Dec 19

a man in a hat playing guitar and singing

Dec

19

Friday Music On Tap! with Johnathan Andrews at Breton Brewing

Sydney & Area

Dec 19

text with a Christmas motif

Dec

19

Friday Nights at Baddeck Legion

Baddeck & Area

Dec 5 – Dec 19

text with christmas graphic

Dec

19

from
$42

Cape Breton Christmas Ceilidh at Membertou Trade & Convention Centre

Membertou

Dec 19

man playing guitar

Dec

19

Louis Arsenault at the Doryman

Chéticamp & Area

Aug 22 – Dec 19

six people posed with instruments in a pub setting

Dec

19

from
$15

Coastline at the Old Triangle

Sydney & Area

Dec 19 – Dec 20

five people wearing Santa hats posed with musical instruments

Dec

19

Christmas Dance at Creignish Recreation Centre with Full Circle

Judique

Dec 19 – Dec 20

man in a hat sitting and smiling

Dec

20

Saturday Music On Tap! with Jordan Musycsyn at Breton Brewing

Sydney & Area

Dec 20

five people posed in a winter scene with instruments

Dec

20

from
$54

The Barra MacNeils: An East Coast Christmas – Celebrating 25 Years

Glace Bay & Area

Dec 20

collage of pictures of people playing musical instruments

Dec

20

from
$10

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party with Renegade at Cedars Club

Sydney & Area

Dec 20 – Dec 21

a man in red posed with a fiddle in a Christmas motif

Dec

22

from
$30

Ashbley MacIsaac’s Christmas Ceilidh at the Old Triangle

Sydney & Area

Dec 22

text with a picture of a smiling man

Dec

22

from
$21

Un Noël en Douceur: Nathan Lelièvre invités surprise! [with special guest!] at Canton Culturel

Chéticamp & Area

Dec 22

graphic of five people with musical instruments

Dec

22

Pretty Archie’s Annual Christmas Show with Jordan Musycsyn at Sacred Heart Downtown

Sydney & Area

Dec 22 – Dec 24

two men and a wooman posed leaning against the bar

Dec

23

from
$15

Rockin’ Around the Tipsy Tree with The Ashbys at the Red Farm

Sydney & Area

Dec 23

Three guys on stage playing musical instruments

Dec

23

Tipsy Eve with Alter Ego at the Northern Yacht Club

North Sydney & Sydney Mines Area

Dec 23 – Dec 24

Christmas themed photo of a man sitting with text

Dec

23

from
$20

Tibbs Eve Dance with Aaron MacDonald and band at Glencoe Station Hall

Port Hood

Dec 23 – Dec 24

profiles of three people with a Christmas themed background

Dec

23

from
$10

Tipsy Eve with 3 Way Stop at North Sydney Firehall

North Sydney & Sydney Mines Area

Dec 23 – Dec 24

graphic with band members in stars

Dec

23

Tipsy Eve with the HiBoys at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery

Dec 23 – Dec 24

illustration of someone singing in the woods with the animals plus text

Dec

24

A Very Merry Christmas Eve Sing-a-long Service at the HAT

Sydney & Area

Dec 24

three men posed in an illustrated christmas motif

Dec

26

from
$10

Boxing Day Bash with Dick Finney and the Underdogs at the Northern Yacht Club

North Sydney & Sydney Mines Area

Dec 26 – Dec 27

four men posing for a photo

Dec

26

from
$37

Signal Hill at the Old Triangle

Sydney & Area

Dec 26 – Dec 27

five people wearing Santa hats posed with musical instruments

Dec

26

Boxing Day Dance with Full Circle at Mabou Hall

Mabou & Area

Dec 26 – Dec 27

two men and a woman leaning against the bar with drinks in hand

Dec

26

from
$20

Boxing Day at Governors with The Ashbys

Sydney & Area

Dec 26 – Dec 27

four men on stage playing instruments

Dec

26

from
$20

Boxing Day Bash with The Relatives at the Island Nest

Isle Madame

Dec 26 – Dec 27

four men on stage playing instruments

Dec

26

Renegade at the Main Event

Glace Bay & Area

Dec 26 – Dec 27

man posing with guitar

Dec

27

Saturday Music On Tap! with Jeff Wadden at Breton Brewing

Sydney & Area

Dec 27

christmas graphic

Dec

27

Dave Sampson’s Christmas Show at the Big Fiddle

Sydney & Area

Dec 27

graphic

Dec

27

from
$15

Conductor / The Orchids / Hash Jesus at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery

Sydney & Area

Dec 27

five people wearing Santa hats posed with musical instruments

Dec

27

Full Circle at the Main Event

Glace Bay & Area

Dec 27 – Dec 28

four men on stage playing instruments

Dec

27

Renegade at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery

Sydney & Area

Dec 27 – Dec 28

text with NYE graphics

Dec

31

from
$125

Cheers to 2026 with High Society and The Privateers at Membertou Trade & Convention Centre

Membertou

Dec 31 – Jan 1

five people wearing Santa hats posed with musical instruments

Dec

31

New Year’s Eve with Full Circle at Reserve Mines Firehall

Glace Bay & Area

Dec 31 – Jan 1

four men on stage playing instruments

Dec

31

from
$30

New Years Eve with Renegade at the Ashby Legion

Sydney & Area

Dec 31 – Jan 1

five men posed superimposed on text

Dec

31

from
$20

New Years Eve with Risin’ Tide at the Doryman Pub & Grill

Chéticamp & Area

Dec 31 – Jan 1

two men posed, one with guitar

Dec

31

from
$50

New Years Eve with The Turnbull Brothers at the Frolic’n Folk

Iona & Area

Dec 31 – Jan 1

man playing guitar and singing

Jan

24

2026

from
$74

Matt Andersen with special guest Mariel Buckley at the Savoy

Glace Bay & Area

Jan 24

a photo of a man playing guitar plus text

Feb

07

2026

from
$20

Craig Cardiff at the Frolic’n Folk

Iona & Area

Feb 7

text and pictures of three bands

Jun

30

2026

KitchenFest! – The Big Bash: Signal Hill / Beech Hill / Coastline

St. Ann's Bay & North Shore

Jun 30 – Jul 1