First Gigs on Sale for Edinburgh Tradfest

Edinburgh Tradfest is delighted to announce the first of its gigs for 2025 are now on sale.

Article Source: Edinburgh Tradfest
Last Updated: 5 February 2025 16:19

The festival’s full programme of live music, workshops, film, and traditional storytelling will launch on Tuesday 11 March, thanks to support from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.

Opening Edinburgh Tradfest on Friday 2 May, is Scotland’s most sought-after piper and composer Ross Ainslie. He’ll be performing with the Sanctuary Band, an incredibly talented line-up of musicians: Greg Lawson (Fiddle), Paul Towndrow (Saxophone) Steve Byrnes (guitar), Hamish Napier (keyboard), James Lindsay (bass) and John Blease (drums and percussion).

Joining them at the Queens Hall is special guest Terra Kin aka Hannah Findlay. BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year in 2023, Hannah’s fingerstyle guitar, atmospheric soundscapes, and ‘crunchy’ harmonies have earned them much critical acclaim.

Also headlining the Festival’s opening weekend is folk trio Leveret (Saturday 3 May) made up of three of England’s leading folk musicians Andy Cutting (button accordion), Sam Sweeney (fiddle) and Rob Harbron (concertina). Plus, on Sunday the legendary Lauren MacColl will be playing tunes from her most recent album Haar and delving into her back catalogue of rich darkly-toned fiddle sounds with a stellar line-up on stage: Rachel Newton (harp), Anna Massie (guitar), Mhairi Hall (piano), Mairearad Green (accordion) and James Lindsay (bass).

This year’s festival commission For the Love of Trees is led by the acclaimed harpist, singer and composer Mary Macmaster (The Poozies) who will celebrate the magnificence of our trees with songs and tunes, old and new, performed by a specially configured band made up of some of Scotland’s best: Amy Macdougall (vocals), Donald Hay (percussion), Mairearad Green (accordion, pipes), Pete Harvey (cello) and Ciaran Ryan (banjo/fiddle).

Later in the week, audiences will be treated to an up-tempo session by bluegrass/old time/ragtime stringband from Richmond Virginia The Hot Seats; and singer songwriter and pianist Beth Malcolm who was crowned Scots singer of the year in 2022 and again in 2024.

Furthermore, this year’s early evening programme kicking off at 6.30pm will include folk trio Divergence (Freya Rae, Siannie Moodie and Tim Lane) so named because of their passion for playing non-traditional instruments in traditionally inspired music including the more unusual tongue drum and the silver Boehm system flute. Also packing out the early evening venues will be Belgian’s finest Hartwin Trio (Hartwin Dhoore on accordion, Flavia Escartin on cello, and Pavel Souvandjiev on violin); Finnish power-fiddle duo Teho whose music combines fluently Finnish traditional fiddling, Norwegian halling, Swedish polska, bebop, western swing and their own contemporary folk music; Morag Brown & Lewis Powell-Reid who perform pacy traditional tunes from Scotland and as far afield as the Balkans; and The Travelling Janes formed by award winning vocalist Ali Affleck in 2023, combining well-known traditional folk tunes with old folk songs from the USA and Canada.

PLUS …MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED – PROGRAMME LAUNCH 11 MARCH

Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “This year’s Edinburgh Tradfest line-up is our best yet with some incredible international touring bands and a very strong showing from Scotland’s finest. Expect lush instrumentals, stirring songs and foot-tapping tunes to fill your ears and hearts every day of the festival. We can’t wait for it to start.”

Musician Ross Ainslie said: “I’m really looking forward to bringing the Sanctuary Band to launch Edinburgh Tradfest this year, I’ve always loved playing in the Queens Hall it’s a very iconic venue. I’ve recently released a new album called Pool so we will be playing some tracks from that along with tracks from my other albums Sanctuary and Vana. As a band we don’t get together to perform that often so when we do it’s always a special night.”

Musician Lauren MacColl said: “I’m over the moon to be playing Edinburgh Tradfest this year with my band. The festival has become a real highlight in the folk & trad calendar, with a reputation for bold and creative curation. After a brilliant start to the year at Celtic Connections, we can’t wait to bring this music to the Traverse this May.”

The full programme for this year’s Edinburgh Tradfest will be launched on Tuesday 11 March2025. The festival includes live music, workshops, film, and traditional storytelling thanks to continued support from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.

Edinburgh Tradfest 2025 will run from Friday 2 May - Monday 12 May. For tickets and more information visit edinburghtradfest.com

Image: Ross Ainslie who will open this year’s Edinburgh Tradfest with the Sanctuary Band on Friday 2 May

Got a story to share? Send us an email at hello[@]whatsonnetwork.co.uk

Latest Edinburgh News

Heather On The Hill Festival Announced

Edinburgh Summer Sessions is delighted to announce Heather On The Hill Festival, a brand-new family-focused one day festival taking place at the Royal Highland Centre on Saturday 22 August.

The Vittoria Group Launches Black Friday Offer

With Black Friday just a week away, the family run Vittoria Group is launching one of Edinburgh’s biggest, and most giftable, foodie offers with 50% off vouchers across all venues.

Free sweets at brand new Edinburgh store opening this weekend

Sweet lovers in Edinburgh can enjoy a free treat on Saturday 22nd November, as Ambala opens its brand-new store on Gorgie Road.

United Airlines Celebrates Girls in Aviation Day at Edinburgh Airport

United Airlines inspires girls to pursue careers in aviation by opening the doors to their operation at Edinburgh Airport.

Christmas arrives at The Palace of Holyroodhouse

Visitors to the Palace of Holyroodhouse will see the State Apartments decked with glistening Christmas trees, garlands, and a magnificent table display to celebrate the festive season.

First Look at the Magical Festival Transformation at Duck & Waffle

This festive season, Duck & Waffle Edinburgh invites guests to leave the ordinary behind and step into the 'Chamber of Magic' - a world where wonder, mischief, and wizardry collide.

Celebrate the Festive Season with Caorunn Gin at the St James Quarter

Caorunn, the award-winning small batch gin from the Scottish Highlands, has unveiled an exclusive festive pop-up stand at St James Quarter Edinburgh, running until 31st December 2025.

BBC Cbeebies starts the Panto Season at Edinburgh Cinemas

Now a festive family tradition, the CBeebies panto Cinderella is coming to the big screen in Edinburgh from Friday 21st November.

Scottish rugby stars to ignite Edinburgh Castle this Friday at Castle of Light: Fire & Ice

Edinburgh Castle is set to shine this Friday (21 November) as Scotland rugby stars Matt Currie and Adelle Ferrie officially switch on the spectacular Castle of Light: Fire & Ice.

Celebrate The Autumn Internationals at The Ivy On The Square, Edinburgh

As the Rugby Autumn Internationals take centre stage across the UK and Ireland, The Ivy on The Square, Edinburgh is serving up a winning special worthy of champions.

Spotlight shines on the first shows announced for redeveloped Kings Theatre

The King’s Theatre takes a major step forward on the path to reopening following its landmark redevelopment, unveiling some of the first shows set to appear on the iconic Edinburgh stage.

Four Major International Performances Go on Sale for Edinburgh International Festival 2026

Following a record number of sold-out performances in 2025, audiences can book early for what promise to be must-see performances in 2026!

Christmas in Edinburgh and Glasgow: Celebrate the festive season with Candlelight Concerts

Featuring classic Christmas carols, this live, multi-sensory musical experience will light up St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral and Merchants House and The Trades Hall for an unforgettable evening.

Find a Festive Backdrop in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Fife

From frosty gardens to candlelit palaces, National Trust for Scotland places in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Fife are offering a host of winter experiences and special events this festive season.

The Leddie Hotel in Aberlady announced its Christmas 2025 programme

The award-winnng Leddie Hotel in Aberlady has announced its Christmas 2025 programme, bringing together creative workshops, family experiences, live music and seasonal dining.

Charity calls for urgent path funding to invest in safe, local routes

Edinburgh locals are being encouraged to walk more as charity calls for urgent path funding to invest in safe, local routes.

Edinburgh Open Workshop Unveils An Exciting New Course Line Up for 2026

Edinburgh Open Workshop unveils an expanded range of hands-on workshops in woodworking, welding, DIY, mixed media, and two newly developed laser-cutting workshops.

Edinburgh locals encouraged to embrace the season of giving

Edinburgh locals are encouraged to embrace the season of giving with the launch of The Leith Collective’s Re-Gifting Tree and Christmas Tree Exchange projects.

Edinburgh International Film Festival announces dates and submission details for 2026

The revitalised Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced today that its 79th edition will run from 13 - 19 August 2026.

The Doddie Weir match ball delivery is voted Greatest Murrayfield Moment

Doddie Weir’s emotional match ball delivery at Murrayfield in 2017 has been voted the greatest moment in the stadium’s 100-year history, after thousands of fans took part in a nationwide poll.

Forth Awards celebrates Amy Macdonald and Wet Wet Wet alongside local heroes

The Forth Awards, presented by Livingston Designer Outlet, crowned the very best of Edinburgh and the East last night at a star-studded award ceremony.

King Pins, state of the art bowling and activity venue, is set to open its second Scottish site in Edinburgh

King Pins is announcing a new bowling and activity venue opening in Waverley Bridge in Edinburgh in early 2026.

Edinburgh locals get discount at Hard Rock Cafe this November

This November, locals with an EH postcode can enjoy 25% off food and drinks until 5pm, Sunday to Friday, plus 25% off in retail at Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh.

Highlight paintings from Buckingham Palace go on display in Scotland

Portraits by Frans Hals, Titian and Parmigianino are among eight of the finest paintings from Buckingham Palace to go on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse from today.

Roti King crowns Edinburgh with its first Scottish restaurant

Roti King is making its first move outside England, heading north to the foodie capital of Edinburgh.

Luxury kitchen brand unveils fully refurbished Edinburgh showroom

Harvey Jones, specialists in hand-crafted beautifully designed kitchens and luxury furniture for the home, has opened its doors to its newly refurbed Edinburgh showroom.

Much loved classic Scottish play, The Steamie, is set to return to venues in 2026

The Steamie has been scrubbed up ahead of making a return to theatres across the country next year as part of an exciting new chapter in its long-standing story in the theatre landscape.

Medea to tour Scotland in 2026

Bard in the Botanics will be launching their 25th Anniversary year with a Scotland-wide tour of their award-winning version of Medea, by Kathy McKean (after Euripides).

Former courthouse and jail completes multi million pound transformation

Edinburgh-based Code The Court has unveiled a new attic floor of signature boutique hotel rooms, marking a major next step for the landmark venue overlooking the historic Parliament Square.

18 million success for Lost Shore just one year after opening

Lost Shore Surf Resort has firmly established itself as one of Scotland’s most exciting tourism success stories, already generating an £18 million boost to the Scottish economy.

Popular Listings

Corn Exchange Haddington Edinburgh Playhouse Festival Theatre Edinburgh Howden Park Centre Livingston Kings Theatre Edinburgh National Museum of Scotland O2 Academy Edinburgh The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Traverse Theatre Usher Hall

First Gigs on Sale for Edinburgh Tradfest

Edinburgh Tradfest is delighted to announce the first of its gigs for 2025 are now on sale.

Sponsored Links

Latest Edinburgh News

Sponsored Links

Sponsored Links

Popular Events

Popular Listings