HebCelt Festival Spotlight

HebCelt takes place annually on the picturesque Lews Castle Green in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Over its 26-year history, the festival has grown from a small event attracting less than 1,000 fans to an international showpiece for roots, Celtic and traditional music, with record attendances of over 19,500 in 2023.

In that time, it has generated more than £34 million for the local economy. It was crowned Best Cultural Event or Festival at the 2018 Scottish Thistle Awards and it won a Highly Commended accolade at A Greener Festival Awards. It also scooped the Festival of the Year award and the Grand Prix prize at the 2018 Scottish Event Awards and has twice been named Best Cultural Event or Festival in the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards, as well as being named Event of the Year at the 2022 MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.

HebCelt Chair of the Board, Gayle Findlay, said: “It’s fantastic that HebCelt is going to be part of the Scotland Unwrapped series at Kings Place, with some wonderful artists who have previously played the festival representing us. It’s a great opportunity for music lovers in London to get a taste of HebCelt and see how we do things here in Stornoway, and to celebrate the amazing music and rich culture on offer.”