The Ceilidh Trail hums with live music all week long, anchored by nightly sets at the Red Shoe Pub and a special east-coast tour stop at Front Porch farm — El Balcom on Wednesday evening.
A free supper-hour show at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou featuring two homegrown Cape Breton talents. Neil McDaniel, from Margaree Forks, plays mandolin, guitar, banjo, whistles, and piano, drawing on his Irish heritage, while Kevin LeVesconte is a fiddler and pianist from St. Peter's steeped in Cape Breton's traditional music. A welcoming, no-cover evening of authentic island sounds.
A free supper-hour show at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou featuring two homegrown Cape Breton talents. Neil McDaniel, from Margaree Forks, plays mandolin, guitar, banjo, whistles, and piano, drawing on his Irish heritage, while Kevin LeVesconte is a fiddler and pianist from St. Peter's steeped in Cape Breton's traditional music. A welcoming, no-cover evening of authentic island sounds.
Eddie Cummings is a singer-songwriter from Mabou, Cape Breton, who plays acoustic and electric guitars and harmonica, blending country and rock into a sound that appeals to all ages. His debut single reached the top of the East Coast Countdown for seven weeks in 2011, and he has performed at notable stages including the Stan Rogers Folk Festival and the Bluebird Café in Nashville.
El Balcom -east coast tour
A free supper-hour show at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou featuring two homegrown Cape Breton talents. Neil McDaniel, from Margaree Forks, plays mandolin, guitar, banjo, whistles, and piano, drawing on his Irish heritage, while Kevin LeVesconte is a fiddler and pianist from St. Peter's steeped in Cape Breton's traditional music. A welcoming, no-cover evening of authentic island sounds.
Wednesday Sessions at the Admiral; with tba
Eastbound is a husband-and-wife duo from Mulgrave, Nova Scotia, made up of Krista and Jay Luddington, brought together through their love of music. With beautifully in-sync harmonies and a wide range of genres — from East Coast Celtic folk to country and everything in between — they are sure to keep audiences entertained. Catch them live at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou with no cover charge for a warm, welcoming evening of great music.
"Herman's Jam" is a weekly recurring open jam night held at the Firemen's Club in Margaree Forks along the Cabot Trail — not a named individual performer. It is a community music jam event, with donations supporting Margaree Meals on Wheels.
Start the week gently on Monday with a walk along Inverness Beach, where the long sandy Gulf shore and wooden boardwalk into town make for an easy afternoon. By 5:00 p.m., Neil Macdaniel and Kevin Levesconte are already playing at the Red Shoe Pub — no cover, no fuss. The same duo returns Tuesday evening at the same time, making The Red Shoe Pub an effortless early-week ritual.
Wednesday opens with choices. Golfers and whisky lovers alike may want to time a visit around Whit's Public House at The Cabot Links, where Eddie Cummings provides the soundtrack. At the same hour, 5:00 p.m., El Balcom rolls in on the east coast tour to Front Porch Farm, and Neil Macdaniel and Kevin Levesconte hold down their third consecutive evening at the Red Shoe Pub. Later that night at 7:00 p.m., the Admiral Lounge hosts its Wednesday Sessions, offering yet another live music option for the evening.
Before the Thursday shows, use the afternoon to explore the Ceilidh Trail — Route 19 traces the western coastline through the heartland of Cape Breton Gaelic music and is lined with the kind of scenery that rewards a slow drive. A detour inland to Glenora Distillery in Glenville is well worth the time: North America's first single-malt whisky distillery sits in a Highland river valley, and the option to stay overnight at Glenora Inn & Distillery means no one has to rush the tasting.
Thursday evening splits the crowd between two very different rooms. The Red Shoe Pub hosts Eastbound at 7:00 p.m. with no cover, while across the area the Firemen's Club runs Herman's Jam Night — a 19+ session with donations supporting Margaree Meals on Wheels, giving the evening a community spirit worth raising a glass to.
For dining and provisions throughout the week, The Dancing Goat Cafe & Bakery in Margaree Valley turns out fresh breads and artisanal sandwiches ideal for a packed lunch on the beach. Travellers passing through Whycocomagh should not overlook Charlene's Bayside Restaurant and Cafe for award-winning seafood chowder, or The Farmers Daughter Country Market for baked goods and local gifts. Beach days split naturally between the dune-backed quiet of West Mabou Beach and the warm, island-framed waters of Port Hood Beach.
A municipal beach site in town of Inverness, Inverness Beach is the perfect family beach with warm and shallow waters and beautiful, soft sand. Take a walk on the 1.5-km sandy beach or stroll on the boardwalk above the beach and catch sights of golfers playing Cabot Links, and be sure to grab an ice cream at the canteen. In summer 2018, the beach welcomed sand chairs, water chairs and sand mats that allows those with mobility issues to safely access the beach and water. Mobi-Mats are portable, non-slip beach access mats for people with disabilities that provide beach access for wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers. Mobi-Chairs are beach accessible wheelchairs that can float and are a one-size-fits-all! Beach Access Chairs are wheelchairs that can be used to navigate in sand, snow, and other soft soils. Both types of chairs have non-corrosive, puncture resistant wheels as well as UV-protected frames to withstand saltwater and discolouration from the sun To book a Mobi-Chair or a beach access chair, please contact the Inverness Visitor Centre at (902)258-3740 or email [email protected] The beach is located at the end of Beach Road #1. Change house, toilets, parking, boardwalk, canteen are available. The beach is supervised during July and August.
The Ceilidh Trail (Route 19) hugs the western coast of Cape Breton from the Canso Causeway up to Margaree Harbour, where it meets the Cabot Trail. The drive passes Judique, Port Hood, Mabou, and Inverness, every village steeped in Scottish Gaelic music traditions. Plan stops for the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre, the Red Shoe Pub, and at least one warm-water beach.
West Mabou Beach Provincial Park protects a long natural beach, dune system, and salt marsh just south of Mabou village. The Gulf water warms quickly in summer, and the beach is rarely crowded. A short loop trail crosses the dunes and follows the back-shore meadow. Combine with live music at the Red Shoe Pub in town.
Port Hood Beach is one of the longest sand beaches on the Ceilidh Trail, with shallow water that warms early in the season and views of Henry Island just offshore. The community-managed beach has a small canteen and washrooms, and the village offers easy access to lobster suppers. Sunsets here are spectacular.
Live Cape Breton music seven nights a week in Mabou, owned by the Rankin Sisters. The Red Shoe is the spiritual home of Cape Breton fiddle — a small, packed room where the players are world-class and the audience knows when to stop talking.
North America's first single-malt whisky distillery, set in a Highland river valley in Glenville. The Glenora Falls run right through the property, the warehouses sit on the hillside, and the whisky inside them is the real Cape Breton article.
Stay above North America's first single-malt distillery, in a riverside Highland setting. The Glenora Inn is the rare hotel where breakfast comes with the smell of malted barley drifting through the property.
The bustling ‘made from scratch’ roadside café, Dancing Goat Café and Bakery, is a favourite stop along the Cabot Trail for locals and visitors alike. With delicious sweet treats, fresh breads, artisanal sandwiches and soups, and lattes that would rival any top coffee house, the Dancing Goat is a culinary gem tucked in the hills of the Margaree Valley. Serving breakfast and lunch all year long. We are wheelchair accessible.
Home to Charlene’s Multi-Award Winning Famous Seafood Chowder. A great family dining experience enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Renowned for great service, amazing food and its overall welcoming atmosphere. Stop by and see for yourself! Open Monday – Friday: 8:00am – 6:00pm Take Out Services Available
Nestled in the heart of Cape Breton, The Farmer’s Daughter Country Store offers a unique selection of sweet treats, express meals, home baked goods, gourmet foods, gifts and apparel.
From beachside mornings to no-cover sessions under the Cape Breton sky, the Inverness and western shore offer a week that moves at exactly the right pace. Pull off the Ceilidh Trail, stay a night or two, and let the music find you.
Around Cape Breton
More news →