Active on the island: 4 road closures (4 total)See details →
Red Shoe Pub Music Nights — event in Inverness & Western Shore, Cape Breton

Red Shoe Pub Music Nights

Most evenings, June through October · The Red Shoe Pub

Nightly Cape Breton music in Mabou.

Owned by the Rankin family, the Red Shoe hosts traditional fiddle, song and step dance most nights through the summer. Casual Mabou pub on the Ceilidh Trail.

What to expect

Dinner-and-music format. Reserve for an early seating, then the room flips into pub mode. Music ranges from solo fiddler to full Celtic band.

Highlights

The haddock cakes, the local Big Spruce beer, and the chance to hear a Rankin sibling drop in unannounced.

Plan ahead

Reservations strongly recommended in July-August. Mabou has a few inns; Glenora Distillery is 10 minutes north.

Why go

It's the heart of the Ceilidh Trail — a working pub that's also a cultural landmark.

Visitor photos

Sign in to add a photo

Loading photos…

More events

Around Cape Breton

More news →
CTV News · May 29, 2026
Gas prices drop overnight in Nova Scotia, P.E.I.

Gas prices have dropped overnight across Nova Scotia and P.E.I., offering relief at the pump for residents.

PNI Atlantic News · May 25, 2026
ECMA 2026: Morgan Toney, Goldie Boutilier, other Cape Bretoners add victories during final-day industry event

Cape Bretoners Morgan Toney and Goldie Boutilier were among the winners on the final day of the East Coast Music Awards.

CTV News · Jun 2, 2026
Transit Cape Breton launching mobile payment app this month

Transit Cape Breton is making it easier to pay for bus fares with a new mobile payment app arriving this month.