Tradfest, Edinburgh's newest festival, will see over twelve days of music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, folk drama, and environmental celebrations for Mayday/Beltane.
TradFest embraces all the folk arts, combining authentic sources with contemporary edge, passion and flair. Falling at the traditional start of summer, TradFest also heralds a seasonal wave of festivals across Scotland reaching through to the autumn.
TradFest is inspired by previous festivals including the Edinburgh People’s Festival and the Edinburgh International Folk Festival. It has also taken under its wing the former Ceilidh Culture promotion. But TradFest marks a new phase of vigorous renewal of Scotland’s culture in its local, national and international relationships.
TradFest brings Scotland’s arts of tradition into the heart of the capital city. There is something here for residents and visitors, old and young, artists and audiences, professionals and community activists – and all of them together.
Many venues, organisations and individuals have been involved in curating events which take place in Teviot Row House, The Pleasance, Queens Hall, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Dance Base,
Greyfriars Kirk, Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill, Portobello Promenade and many other locations. The things you would expect from a folk festival are in TradFest with a vibrant range of music and song from bothy nichts traditions to the contemporary interpretations of a Karine Polwart or Alasdair Roberts, from Nordic Fiddlers Bloc to Shooglenifty, from the Lowland Pipes of Hamish Moore to the step dance rhythms of Fin Moore.
What is less predictable is the cross fertilisation of dance styles, the upsurge of folk drama, the wave of storytelling events, and the environmental happenings on Calton Hill, Arthur’s Seat and Portobello Promenade.
TradFest Edinburgh · Dùn Èideann heralds a new season for the folk arts, and the future of our past is addressed directly on the last day with the Festival Conference, ‘Open Fields: the Future for Trads’.
Organised by the Scottish Storytelling Centre on behalf of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) Tradfest brings together Scotland’s performance traditions under a new, publicly funded umbrella.
Tickets for TradFest are now on sale
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