It may sound strange at first, but many locals refer to northern Cape Breton, particularly northern Victoria County, as “down north”. The term is a leftover from the days of sailing ships when vessels were carried north by the winds of the Gulf Stream. Now we travel mostly by road, and a trip down north will take you along the breathtakingly beautiful Cabot Trail. Whether on the clockwise route north from Chéticamp or coming through the Ingonish area on the east side of the island, you will be rewarded with magnificent views of the Cape Breton Highlands and the rocky shore below. Once you’ve made it all the way up down north to Aspy Bay, a night of music awaits featuring artists from the Canadian Prairies, the Orkney Islands, and right here at home. This is Saskatchewan singer-songwriter Connie Kaldor’s first time at Celtic Colours, so we thought we’d take her for one of the most scenic drives in the world while she’s here. Popular Cape Breton singer-songwriter Jordan Muscycsyn knows his way down north, playing regularly at the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish. Jordan will share some songs from his award-winning albums accompanied by Emily Dingwall on bass and vocals. The last time Saltfishforty was at the festival they played in Aspy Bay, and they are excited to get back down north. The dynamic duo from Orkney will be on their way after this concert. There was a twelve-year gap between their last two appearances, so we hope they’ll be back sooner next time.