Celtic Connections 2026 kicks off!

Celtic Connections 2026 kicks off next week - Thursday, 15 January - and is set to attracts thousands of music lovers  across the world to Glasgow for the premier winter music festival of its kind. Famed for its adventurous spirit, the festival will stage more than 300 events across 25 venues and spanning more than 10 genres across 18 days.

I have attended, covered and photographed at the festival since 2008, nearly twenty years now!! The lighting at concerts is now much more sophisticated. At this cold, dark time of year Celtic Connections offers some joyous warmth with the range, quality and diversity of their unique and international collaborations. Over the years I’ve been to so many memorable concerts. 

 

Everything You Need to Know About Celtic Connections 2026

 

The renowned festival every year transforms Glasgow in January into a must-visit destination for music lovers is now just over a week away.

Celtic Connections – Scotland’s premier winter festival of its kind – attracts thousands of fans and performers to the city from all corners of the world, offering unforgettable moments, groundbreaking collaborations, and a love for music that only Glasgow can provide with its many outstanding venues.

 

When is it?

The countdown is on! Celtic Connections 2026 runs from 15 January to 1 February 2026. Over 300 events at 25+ venues across the city, with audiences of more than 110,000 expected to experience Glasgow’s biggest winter celebration of music and culture.

 

Who’s performing?

With a lineup of over 1,200 artists, of global icons, homegrown heroes and breakthrough names.

Headliners 2026 include country music royalty Emmylou Harris, legendary Cuban collective Buena Vista All Stars, Americana powerhouse Lucinda Williams,Scottish folk-rock pioneers Skerryvore, Grammy-winning banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck, Senegalese orchestral sensation Baobab,

 

Québec’s vibrant music scene contributes acts like Le Vent du Nord and Bon Débarras, highlighting the festival’s commitment to international cultural exchange. indie duo Watchhouse and Mon Rovîa, who tells his refugee story through the healing sound of Afro-Appalachian folk.

Opening Concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, World Connections, and a range of one-off collaborations featured throughout the programme. Festival favourites return, including Roaming Roots Revue (Icons Vol. 2), Transatlantic Sessions, and the Danny Kyle Open Stage that showcases emerging talent.

 

Is it for young people?

Absolutely! Celtic Connections is dedicated to making world-class music accessible to everyone, including the next generation. The popular Under 26 Festival Pass is back, providing discounted entry for those aged 18 - 25 to a selection of events – perfect for students, young professionals, and anyone discovering new sounds.

Additionally, the acclaimed Education Programme returns, with thousands of local schoolchildren invited to special concerts and workshops, planting the seeds for a lifelong love of music.

 

What type of music can you hear?

Celtic Connections is famed for its adventurous spirit – audiences will enjoy traditional folk, roots, indie, and world music; blues, jazz, orchestral, Americana, and even electronic influences. 

Experience Gaelic song and Scottish ballads, orchestral world premieres, like The Ayoub Sisters’ Arabic Symphony, roots collaborations linking Scotland with Brazil, Mexico, and beyond, and captivating new commissions. Whether you crave the pulse of a late-night ceilidh or the intimacy of story-driven folk, the festival showcases music in all its diversity.

 

What’s new for 2026?

Once again ambitious collaborations and boundary-pushing debuts take centre stage:

•    For the first time, the Emirates Arena will host two back to back shows: an incredible farewell show from Emmylou Harris and its largest folk-rock party yet with Skerryvore

•    Citizens Theatre becomes an official festival venue for the first time, welcoming the likes of Glasgow’s own spellbinding Alice Faye and Òran Ùr, a night celebrating 25 years of new Gaelic songs

•    Cross-cultural projects bring together musicians from Scotland, Sweden, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil and Iraq

•    Innovative shows like Tràigh Mhòr will bring Brazilian and Scottish roots together, and the world premiere of Delusions blends music, spoken word and multimedia art, while the Maclean Brothers’ night will celebrate extraordinary stories of endurance and global connection

•    A new multi-year partnership with the Edinburgh International Book Festival sees groundbreaking collaborations between Scotland's celebrated writers and musicians including The Golden Road featuring William Dalrymple, India Alba and renowned artists.

 

How do I get a ticket?

Tickets for the festival are available now at www.celticconnections.com. 

 

Celtic Connections Creative Producer, Donald Shaw, said: “Celtic Connections is big, bold and inspiring – it’s a festival that isn’t afraid to take risks, champions artistic expression and believes in collaboration, and having fun. There’s a special kind of magic that fills Glasgow every January during Celtic Connections. Come and join us to experience unforgettable shows, world-class artists, and surprises around every corner. We can’t wait to share these moments with everyone who loves music as much as we do!”

 

This year’s festival, delivered by Glasgow Life in partnership with Innis & Gunn, promises inspiration, discovery and the warmest of welcomes – here’s everything you need to know.

Celtic Connections is delivered with funding from Glasgow City Council through Glasgow Life. Creative Scotland and The Scottish Government Festivals Expo Fund continue to provide invaluable support to Celtic Connections.

Lucinda Williams rocked at Celtic Connections 2016!

Sassy straight talking rock on lady! This lady takes no prisoners and she seems grounded.

I came new to Lucinda, while I had read good reviews of her work. Looking at her Wikipedia page I noticed that at 62 she has unusually been having more success as she gets older.

As we waited in the packed Glasgow concert hall an enthusiastic man appeared at the side of the stage waving a set list. I got a photo - was this Mr Overby her manger and now husband? I wondered was the extra time before the gig to ground us to be ready to listen? 

She sang several tracks from her new 2016 album, Ghost of Highway 20, in which she sings of her memories of the deep south and of those lost to her. 'Places you can't let go of - they won't let go of you' and 'I found myself on Highway 20' 

On any given night there would likely be certain songs on her set list such as Drunken Angel, Lake Charles and Cold Day in Hell. 'Each time I look at the world there's a different story.' Another song was entitle Protection. 'Protection from the enemy of love, the enemy of rock n roll' And on Find My Joy she sang, 'You took my joy don't mess with me.' 

Her father was the poet, Miller Williams (who read at Bill Clinton's inauguration). He once took her to hear the preacher and street singer guitarist Blind Pearly Brown. She may have found setting his words to music a challenge but she managed on his poem Compassion and on Dust. 'You couldn't cry if you wanted to.' Her mother, Lucy Morgan was a musician.

The rocking high quality band Buick 6 performed with her. Guitarist Stuart Mathis took up mournful and joyous melodies along side dynamic drummer Butch Norton in his white cowboy hat and their bassist David Sutton racked up the energy. Often she turned her back to conduct the band so they are all in sync. Lucinda with her shock of blond hair and leather jacket is not your average softly dressed country gal! On a couple of songs there was just Lucinda on guitar.

For her encore songs Lucinda sang Robert Johnston's Stop Breaking Down Blues and JJ Cale's song Magnolia. She smiled as she searched for the last song among her pages of songs when her roadie came to assist. 

Her spiritual songs cover pathos, regret, searching. Lucinda's voice packs a punch with a rasp, unforgettable direct earthiness. At times with her head titled back slightly her voice soars and meanders those blues songs.  

She is a three times Grammy award winner and considered one of America's top songwriters. I can understand why, I was new to these songs and they registered and struck home right away.

Harmony, peaceful, rocking! 

She is a defiant lady who has travelled many roads. There were loads of stand outs and textured, layered songs with an artist of this calibre and there is nothing subtle about Lucinda. http://lucindawilliams.com/

Williams was well supported by Canadian singer songwriter Jenny Ritter.

Celtic Connections 2016!

This year Celtic will welcome again any international artists from – Inner Mongolia to Armagh, Senegal to Italy, and Brittany to the Outer Hebrides to Southern Manitoba will perform at the festival in 2016 Celtic Connections remains a hotbed of musical talent from cultures and countries from across the globe. 

One of the main focuses of Celtic Connections festival is bringing different voices together form across continents and oceans as well as exploring our roots and identity  Celtic also brings together the different generations through music - with older and contemporary sounds and how today's most innovative and experimental bands draw on traditional roots.  .

This year's opening concerts celebrates the TSMA's 50th anniversary which encourages Scottish traditional song with musical director Siobhan Miller - and with a star line up that includes - Arthur Johnstone, Sheena Wellington, Jimmy Hutchison, Barbara Dickson, Shepheard, Spiers & Watson, Kris Drever, Adam McNaughton, Mischa Macpherson and Malinky.   

TSMA mission was to support authenticity in Scotland's song smiths, musianship and tradition  - in opposition to the twee commercialism of a simplistic tartan shortbread music hall sound. To celebrate the ancient muckle songs to the 21st century originals.

The Chieftains, along with other Irish musicians will celebrate the100 year anniversary of Irelands Easter Rising which included (as in Scotland) a cultural re-wakening by poets, writers composers and artists - an artistic renaissance in song, literature, theatre and journalism. 15th Jan Concert hall.  

Dick Gaughan and Karine Polwart

Topics of Migration - is a concert of Joni Mitchell songs - the Pilgrimer - which will re-imagines Joni's classic 1976 album Hegira with singers Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis and more. The album tells of migration while Joni drove solo from Miami to LA - expressing both the freedom and loneliness of the road.  Pilgrimer by author James Robertson adapts the album to a Scottish setting.  16th Jan Concert hall.

Ballads of Child Migration concert with Barbara Dickson, Eddi Reader, Kris Drever, Boo Hewerdine. Between 1850 and 1970 more than 1000,000 children were shipped under government schemes to colonies and were exploited. 19th Jan Concert hall

Highlights this year include - the Chieftians, Lau, John Grant, Lucinda Williams, Robert Plant, Karine Polwart, Rickie Lee Jones, Boys of the Lough. 

I have been taking photos at Celtic Connections since 2008. When I look at my Celtic Connections photos - one thing stands out – the fun and joy of music and the collaborations of those taking part during the 18 day festival.

Opening concert for Martyn Bennett

The main venue is the Glasgow Concert hall - other venues include, the Old Fruitmarket, 02 ABC, Oran Mor, Tron, City Hall, St Andrews, Piping centre,

  

From Thursday 14 to Sunday 31 January, 2,500 musicians from around the world will gather in Glasgow for 18 days of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, art exhibitions, workshops, free events, late night sessions and a host of special one-off musical collaborations. 

Stars of world, folk and roots music, who will perform on 26 stages at venues across the city,

 http://www.celticconnections.com/Pages/default.aspx