Set against the breathtaking Atlantic backdrop of the Shalin Liu Performance Center, the 6th Annual Rockport Celtic Music Festival returns for an extraordinary weekend of music, community, and heritage. Founded in 2019 by Brian O’Donovan and thoughtfully curated and hosted by Artistic Director Maeve Gilchrist, this year’s festival explores the seasonal cycle of the Celtic calendar—Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lúnasa—and the rich tapestry of human experience that binds them together.

Standing out for its imaginative programming, the weekend bridges pure-drop Irish and Scottish traditions with the most cutting-edge sounds of the diaspora. Friday night’s Festival of Riches concert showcases traditional virtuosity from Donegal-born Oisín McAuley and Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, alongside Orkney fiddler Louise Bichan and her Transatlantic band, before culminating in the eclectic energy of Sam Reider & The Human Hands. In our Saturday night Season of Strings concert, Classical roots intersect with Celtic traditions as Grammy-winning guitarist William Coulter and violin virtuoso Edwin Huizinga frame our seasonal theme with brilliantly distilled duo arrangements of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

The roster also boasts the thrilling Pan-Canadian string quartet The Fretless (featuring vocalist Madeleine Roger) and local shanty star David Coffin, who will lead a free community sing on Saturday. Festival-goers can also look forward to Into the Ice—a atmospheric new suite by Irish music icon Seamus Egan and artistic director, Maeve Gilchrist, inspired by Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition.

The crown jewel of the weekend arrives at Sunday’s sunset finale, On the Ocean’s Edge, with the world premiere of a new commission by our Artist-in-Residence, Irish singer and flautist, Nuala Kennedy (Solas). Rooted in Gaelic poetry, her stunning song cycle weaves together an all-star house band and a luscious string trio to cycle through the four seasons.

Whether you join us for an intimate Saturday morning artist salon, dance the night away at the evening ceilidh, or take in the music against a glowing ocean backdrop, the festival offers an authentic, unforgettable celebration of Celtic culture.