The St. Peter’s Parish Church in Ingonish, Victoria County, has been witness to many memorable moments in its more than 100-year history. Timeless memories are sure to be made here again tonight in this beautiful old church as the surrounding hills of the Cape Breton Highlands come to life with the sounds of fiddle, accordion, cello, guitar, acoustic bass, and song. Tonight’s concert takes place north of Cape Smokey on the beautiful Cabot Trail, so take your time getting there and enjoy what’s been celebrated as one of the most stunningly iconic scenic drives in the world. The breathtaking scenery will fade into the background, however, as these three trios take the stage. Centered on the virtuosic string instrumentation of its members, Laura Cortese (fiddle/vocals), Valerie Thompson (cello/vocals), and Zoe Guigueno (bass/vocals) tie together driving rhythms, broad creative vision, and resonant harmonies to create music that sweeps you up in its current, carrying you away from your everyday worries and into the arms of its cathartic embrace. Fiddler and step dancer Hailee LeFort has been energizing audiences around Cape Breton with her lively playing for over a decade. Now living on Prince Edward Island, Hailee is joined in her trio by Romy Munkres—a fiddler, dancer, and piper from Vermont, also now based on PEI—who grew up in the New England trad music scene, and PEI native Jesse Périard, whose monstrous guitar accompaniment is sought after by dozens of east coast artists. Lisa Ornstein (fiddle), Normand Miron (accordion/vocals), and André Marchand (guitar) are legends of Quebec’s traditional music scene. As Le Bruit Court dans la Ville, they absolutely embody the joie de vivre that traditional Quebecois music is so well-known for.

And if you’re looking for somewhere to eat before the concert, check out the Stuffed Chicken Breast Dinner at the nearby Ingonish Fire Hall and Community Centre.