Edinburgh Tradfest

The very best traditional music from Scotland and around the world returns from 3rd to 13th May 2024.

About Edinburgh Tradfest

	, Various Locations Edinburgh
	Edinburgh Tradfest Website
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	Facebook information can be found here

Listed Under Attractions - Festivals

The past, present and future of traditional music

Edinburgh Tradfest has a rich story. With its longer tap roots in the Edinburgh Folk Festival, it was launched by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (TRACS) in 2013 to provide a distinctive platform for folk arts in the capital city. Edinburgh is a hot house of talent, home grown and visiting, and Tradfest is an opportunity to see it all in play.

In 2015, TRACS asked us at the Soundhouse Organisation to programme a series of concerts for them. With many years of concert promoting, beginning at our house in 2002, and then our regular Monday nights at The Traverse Bar (gathering appreciative audiences since 2014), we were well placed to select a dynamic line up of musical stars from home and abroad.

In 2018, however, TRACS had its funding reduced (as part of wider cut backs in government funding) but they honoured their commitment with a very strong Tradfest programme in that year. When it came to appraise the situation for 2019 the good folks at TRACS decided they couldn’t continue without funding. We thought it was a shame to lose the festival particularly at a time when Scotland’s traditional music scene is so strong and vibrant, so they agreed to pass it on to us in 2019. We are indebted to TRACS for their generous spirit and assistance in handing over the Tradfest reins.

In 2019, we were able to double the audience for our gigs and in 2020 we wanted to double the number of curated shows on offer to 20 so were hoping for another audience doubling. The Festival was also to include a folk film strand from Transgressive North, entitled the Folk Film Gathering, and a programme of family/storytelling events at the Scottish Storytelling Centre under the title ‘May Days’.

In the end covid put a halt to those plans with the festival cancelled just before line up announcement in March 2020. Thanks to the generosity of our funders: Creative Scotland, the City of Edinburgh, and the William Grant Foundation we were able to pay all musicians their guarantees, put together a new recording and video of Wild Mountain Thyme to mark what would have been the opening day of the festival on 1 May 2020 and produce four online concerts streamed in October 2020.

Because of the ongoing situation with the covid pandemic the 2021 festival was also entirely digital and featured as many of those musicians we had hoped to present in 2020. We hosted two unique online concerts, opening with Catriona Macdonald’s Shetland Springs, and closing with the live streamed Rebellious Truth lecture and concert by Karine Polwart. We also presented nine editions of our new minted Edinburgh Tradfest Podcast which proved very popular with over 5,000 subscribers. Again we had the support from Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation, with the University of Edinburgh Department of Celtic and Scottish Studies coming on board for 2021. Heartfelt thanks to them.

There was relief everywhere and a hefty smattering of joy when we eventually got to return to normal in 2022. We got the big opening concert we had always wanted in collaboration with the Usher Hall team when Duncan Chisholm launched the festival in some style at the Assembly Music Hall. In total over 2,500 tickets were sold to Edinburgh Tradfest’s live music events with a further 3,000 people tuning in to listen to the Edinburgh Tradfest Podcast which added three episodes this year. Overall the Festival featured nearly 100 artists from the world of folk music including well known international and Scottish artists: Frigg, Shooglenifty, Eliza and Martin Carthy, Karine Polwart, Project Smok, Alice Allen and Patsy Reid, and The Shee. They were joined by some of the best up-and-coming names on the circuit including Beth Malcolm, Eabhal, Madderam, and Malin makes Music and one of the greatest classic banjo players of all time Aaron Jonah Lewis from the highly acclaimed old time trio The Corn Potato String Band.

In 2023 we broke our own audience records once again with a critically acclaimed line up.

For 2024 we are planning yet another superlative line up.

We take every opportunity to ensure the details for Edinburgh Tradfest are accurate, if any of the above information is incorrect we would appreciate if you could take a minute to suggest an edit.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

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Upcoming Events at Edinburgh Tradfest

Exhibitions

FISHING: An Exhibition by Stephanïe Vandëm

3rd May 2024 - 15th June 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

FISHING is a modern exploration of contemporary identities and heritage from artist Stephanïe Vandëm at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from 3rd May!

Music

Malin Lewis - Halocline

8th May 2024

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

One of Scotland’s most exciting innovators, Malin Lewis melds west coast tradition with a newly invented, self-made bagpipe!

Nights Out

Called Back: The Poems of Emily Dickinson - Part of Edinburgh Tradfest 2024

8th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

This event opens a window on the life and work of Emily Dickinson and the passions and preoccupations which she poured into her writing.

Music

Birdvox

9th May 2024

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

Born from a mutual love of birds, harmonies and kitchen discos, Birdvox is a new band. Catch them at the Traverse Theatre on 9th April as part of Tradfest!

Music

Norman&Corrie

9th May 2024

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

Norman&Corrie, the Scottish musical duo bring beautiful interpretations of old music that are genuinely contemporary.

Nights Out

Hearth Fire Sessions - Part of Edinburgh Tradfest 2024

9th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

Welcome to an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of Tradfest.

Music

Evie Waddell

10th May 2024

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

Renowned Gaelic and Scots singer and fiddler, Evie Waddell, plays the Traverse 2 on 10th May as part of Tradfest!

Music

LAU NAU and Pekko Käppi - Part of Tradfest 2024

10th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

Join us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a very special evening of music from two of Finland’s most visionary musicians!

Arts and Crafts

Fire from the Woods - Part of Edinburgh Tradfest 2024

11th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

By reimagining old tales from Lithuania and around the world, storyteller Daiva Ivanauskaitė and musician Gaynor Barradell explore the silence between generations.

Music

Simon Thoumire and Dave Milligan

11th May 2024

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

Together, Simon Thoumire and Dave Milligan create dazzling, quirky arrangements of reels, jigs, strathspeys, and airs from their native Scottish tradition, and beyond.

Workshops

Storytelling for Musicians with Svend-Erik Engh - Part of Tradfest 2024

11th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

This workshop with Svend-Erik Engh is for musicians who want to be better storytellers on stage!

Theatre

A Jaunt Round Auld Reekie - Part of Edinburgh Tradfest 2024

11th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

Join mad auld Auntie Bee and her long-suffering niece Bonnie McRee on a tour of Auld Reekie, past and present, real and imagined, without leaving the cosy Storytelling Court!

Dance

Edinburgh Tradfest: Easy Sundays: Family Ceilidh

12th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

Come with family and friends to dance Scottish dances and sing well-known songs with the Minnow Ceilidh Band at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 12th May!

Music

Clare Sands

12th May 2024

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

Clare Sands is a sixth generation fiddler and bilingual singer from Cork, weaving traditional roots with contemporary sounds and influences, embodying a fearless warrior-like spirit!

Film

The First Wave and the Last - Part of Edinburgh Tradfest 2024

12th May 2024

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Old Town

Berwickshire Coastal Arts bring you a reflection of what it means to live, and want to live, in a coastal community.

Music

Julie Fowlis

13th May 2024

Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh New Town

Edinburgh Tradfest & The Soundhouse Organisation presents Julie Fowlis at the Assembly Rooms on Monday 13th May!

Festivals

Edinburgh International Childrens Festival

30B Grindlay Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH3 9AX

Edinburgh International Children's Festival of performing arts for children and young people.

Festivals

NT Art Month

, Edinburgh New Town

NT Art Month is a month-long celebration of the incredible arts quarter in Edinburgh's New Town.

Festivals

Rare Books Edinburgh

Rare Books Edinburgh is a festival dedicated to rare, collectable and important books and the history of the book.

Festivals

Edinburgh Summer Sessions

Royal Highland Centre Ingliston, Edinburgh West EH28 8NB

A staple of the music festival calendar in Edinburgh since 2018, Edinburgh Summer Sessions will take place in the Royal Highland Showgrounds from 2024.

Festivals

Edinburgh International Festival

, Various Locations Edinburgh

The Edinburgh International Festival is an unparalleled celebration of music, theatre, opera and dance performed across our beautiful city.

Festivals

Falastin Film Festival

Scottish Storytelling Centre 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1SR

Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to the Edinburgh and Highland audiences.

Festivals

Edinburgh Horror Festival

, Various Locations Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Horror Festival is one of the most popular Hallowe'en events in Edinburgh. Incorporating theatre, comedy, magic, spoken word, movies, games, improv, workshops and more!

Festivals