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Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association
Cape Breton

Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association

The Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association began in 1972 when Ron MacInnis’s CBC documentary, The Vanishing Cape Breton Fiddler, suggested that the Island’s cherished fiddle tradition was fading away. Many Cape Bretoners knew better! Within months, musicians and community members rallied, reaching out to fiddlers across the Island and beyond. The response was overwhelming, and by 1973, the first Festival of Cape Breton Fiddling was held in Glendale—bringing more than 103 fiddlers to the stage and marking a turning point in the music’s revival. That legacy was on full display when 202 fiddlers filled the stage at Colaisde na Gàidhlig [the Gaelic College] or the 40th anniversary. In 2023, the Association celebrated its 50th anniversary with a year‑long series of concerts, céilidhs, workshops, banquets, and square dances across Nova Scotia, honouring both the tradition bearers and the generations who followed. With members ranging from amateur enthusiasts to seasoned professionals, both at home and abroad, the Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association continues to nurture the tradition and the heritage through workshops, performances, seminars and its annual summer festival held at its home. The Association is intergenerational, and ages range from six to ninety-three years old.

Festival Performances

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