Hebridean Celtic Festival facts for kids

The Hebridean Celtic Festival, often called HebCelt, is a super fun music festival. It celebrates Celtic music and takes place every year in Stornoway. This town is on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Imagine a whole town buzzing with music!

Big names like Runrig, Van Morrison, and KT Tunstall have played here. Many other amazing artists, both local and from around the world, also join in. The festival brings in over 16,000 people. It's a huge event for the area, bringing lots of visitors and excitement.

About the HebCelt Festival

The main part of the festival happens on the Castle Green. This is a big open space right in front of Lews Castle. But the fun isn't just in one spot! Other events happen at the An Lanntair arts centre. You can also find concerts in villages like Borve and Breasclete on Lewis. There are even shows in Northton on the island of Harris.

A Look Back at History

The very first HebCelt festival was held in 1996. About 1,000 people came, mostly from the local area. It started small but had big dreams!

Besides the awesome music, the festival offers many other cool things. You can join workshops to learn new skills. There are street performers and Gaelic storytelling sessions. You can even try out the Gaelic language! It's a great way to explore the rich culture of the Outer Hebrides.

HebCelt is now one of Scotland's most famous summer music festivals. It's the biggest event for the Outer Hebrides. When July comes around, the population of Stornoway almost doubles! This is because so many festival-goers arrive.

In 2007, a special shinty match was added to the festival. Shinty is a traditional Scottish sport. Teams from Lewis and Uist play for the Hebcelt Trophy.

Awards and Recognition

HebCelt is one of Scotland's longest-running outdoor festivals. It has won many awards over the years.

In 2009, it was named 'Event of the Year'. This award came from the Scot Trad Music Awards. These awards celebrate Scottish traditional music. In 2011, the festival won 'Best Large Event' at the Scottish Event Awards.

The magazine Songlines also recognized HebCelt. They voted it one of the top 10 music festivals in the world. This happened in both 2011 and 2012!

Visitors from Around the World

The Hebridean Celtic Festival has been running for 25 years. It keeps attracting visitors from all over. About ten percent of visitors come from other countries. Around forty percent come from other parts of the UK. People have traveled from as far as North America, Australia, and New Zealand to be there.

Even though it's far from big cities, the festival keeps growing. It's a true success story! The event is mostly run by a dedicated team of volunteers. These amazing people help make the festival happen every year.

Who Has Played?

Many incredible bands and artists have performed at HebCelt. The festival is known for its mix of traditional and modern music. Here are just a few of the famous names who have graced the stages:

• The Proclaimers
• Van Morrison
• Runrig
• The Saw Doctors
• Big Country
• Imelda May
• Capercaillie
• Dougie MacLean
• The Red Hot Chilli Pipers
• KT Tunstall
• Peat & Diesel
• Tide Lines
• The Waterboys
• Julie Fowlis
• Niteworks
• Larkin Poe