Herbridean Celtic Festival is an international Celtic festival, that takes place annually in Stornoway, Scotland
It is known for showcasing local and international musical talent, as well as having a traditional theme rooted at the heart of the festival.
Line-up
2012 line-up, news, rumours and our predictions
Confirmed acts so far include The Proclaimers, The Waterboys and Kassidy.
To view the full line-up as it is updated, click here.
2011 line-up and past line-up highlights
The 2011 event featured KT Tunstall, Seth Lakeman, Peatbog Faeries, Stornoway, Dàimh, KAN, Rachel Sermanni, Mànran, Ahab, The Boy Who Trapped the Sun, Open Day Rotation, and The Cole Porters.
Details of previous line-up highlights can be found here.
Vibe
It has been established as an important event amongst Scotland's summer music festivals, and prides itself on a friendly atmosphere.
Comments from the media
" HebCelt has consistently programmed a good mixture of established and up and coming folk acts which fits well within Songlines' editorial coverage". Jo Frost - Editor Of Songlines.
The festival attracts visitors from around the world, and it is organised and run by a dedicated volunteer force.
History and facts
The first ever Hebridean Celtic Festival took place in June 1996 and the festival has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Multi award winning, the event has won the following praise:
- 2009: Voted the "Event Of The Year" at the Scot Trad Music Awards.
- 2011: Songline voted the festival one of the top 10 music global festivals around.
- 2011: The festival was the winner at the Scottish Event Awards.
Music stages and other entertainment
The main arena located in Stornoway's Castle Grounds incorporates two stages.
Concerts and other activities are programmed in Stornoway's arts centre and in venues around Lewis & Harris.
As well as enjoying the music, there are other activities and events happening at the festival such as, workshops (instrumental, gaelic, etc.), family concerts, street arts, plus much more.
Location and travel
Hebridean Celtic Festival is set in The Outer Hebrides, located off the north west coast of Scotland.
By Air:
There are regular scheduled flights to and from Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airporst.
By Bus:
There are bus services that connect with the ferry arrival and departure times. The main bus/coach operator in Scotland is Scottish City Link.
By Car:
Caledonian MacBrayne run a direct car and passenger ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway, a car/passenger ferry to/from Skye to Harris and also to Lochmaddy in North Uist.
By Train:
Trains get as far as Inverness and then travel by bus to Ullapool.Other trains travel as far as Oban, Mallaig and Kyle and then travel onwards by bus to the ferry from Skye to Harris.
Camping and other accommodation
The island provides numerous accommodation facilities in and around the festival for revellers.
Camping is one of the most popular accommodation facility festival goers use as it feels more in twine with the whole festival experience. However if camping is not your thing there are alternatives such as: B & B's, hotels, hostel, self catering, plus many more.
Food and Drink
The main festival arena hosts a range of food stalls and there are licensed bars on site.
Festival contact and ticket information
Tickets are to be collected from the festival office, and are available from Saturday 16th June right up until the festival week.
On collection you will need to bring the order id number you received when placing the order.
A maximum of four tickets can be purchased at one time, and day tickets and tickets for the other events will be available when the full programme is announced in March.
The ticket prices are as follows:
- Arena Weekend (Thursday to Saturday): £70
- Arena Weekend Concession: £55
- Arena Weekend Child Ticket (under 14): Free
There are concession prices for the following people: hose on low income including students and Young Scot card holders, senior citizens (in line with HMRC guidelines), those in receipt of disability living allowance, unemployment benefit or job seekers allowance.
When collecting these concession tickets, you will need to bring proof of your concession, and to qualify for an under 14's ticket, you will need to be under 14 at the time of the festival.
Tickets can be bought online, and all major credit cards and debit cards are accepted. (With the exception of Diners Club)
Contact information
If you visit the "Get Involved" section on their main website, you can find out about the best way to get in contact regarding volunteering, catering and joining their mailing list.
