The last full week of September brings some of Cape Breton's finest Celtic talent to Mabou, as ANDREA BEATON & TROY MACGILLIVRAY headline a standout Friday night, while the inaugural Unama'ki / Cape Breton Film Festival opens its doors at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts — making this one of the most culturally rich weeks the western shore has seen all season.
The Red Shoe Pub in Mabou is a beloved Cape Breton institution offering live traditional music every Saturday night, featuring some of the finest Celtic fiddlers, pianists, and step dancers the island has to offer. Owned by the celebrated Rankin family, it sits along the scenic Ceilidh Trail (Route 19) and draws locals and visitors alike for an authentic East Coast musical experience.
Weekly ceilidh sessions run Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Inverness County Centre for the Arts, featuring local musicians and dancers along with Gaelic language and folklore. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and free for children.
A Thursday steak dinner and live music evening at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou — a beloved Cape Breton institution operated by the Rankin Family and a regular host to both local and visiting Celtic musicians. Guests can enjoy nightly live music, traditional fiddle and piano sessions, step dancing, and local talent, with every event rooted in community, hospitality, and the joy of gathering. A great no-cover night out combining a hearty steak dinner with the warmth of authentic Cape Breton music from 7 to 10 pm.
A multi-day film festival featuring local and international cinema with connections to Cape Breton. Held at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts, it includes screenings, panels, workshops, and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
An authentic evening of traditional Cape Breton fiddle and piano at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou, one of the island's most celebrated music venues. The pairing of fiddle and piano is the heartbeat of Cape Breton's Scottish-rooted Celtic tradition, filling the room with reels, jigs, and strathspeys that have kept dancers moving for generations. This Friday-night session runs from 7:30 to 10:30 pm — a perfect way to experience living Cape Breton culture firsthand.
An intimate evening of original music in Mabou featuring Lisa Cameron, a singer-songwriter raised in a musical family in Margaree Forks who has released three albums of original songs, including End of Blue, Through the Winter, and Unspoken , joined by Vern MacDougall, her frequent performing partner on the Cape Breton circuit . Free admission makes this a perfect stop for visitors looking to experience the warmth of authentic Cape Breton songwriting.
Ease into the week on Monday or Tuesday evening with the warm, welcoming sounds of STEPHANIE MACDONALD & SUSAN MACLEAN performing at the Mabou venue on Nova Scotia Trunk 19 — a free show well worth pausing dinner for. Before the music, fuel up at Glenora Distillery's Washback Pub in the Mabou Highlands, where gourmet Nova Scotia cuisine pairs beautifully with a dram of Glen Breton Rare whisky and, on the right evening, live Celtic tunes of its own.
Wednesday offers a double bill worth planning around. STEPHANIE MACDONALD & SUSAN MACLEAN return for another free suppertime set at 5 p.m., and then the Thursday Ceilidh Sessions at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts get underway at 6:30 p.m. — a weekly gathering of local musicians and dancers that captures everything genuine about Cape Breton's living tradition. Grab a bite before the ceilidh at Charlene's Bayside Restaurant and Cafe in Whycocomagh, where the award-winning seafood chowder and fresh coastal cooking make for a satisfying early dinner.
Thursday evening belongs to PETER MACINNIS | STEAK NIGHT, a steak dinner fundraiser running from 7 to 10 p.m. with no cover charge. It's the kind of community-spirited evening that defines small-town Cape Breton hospitality — live music, a good meal, and a good cause. Visitors staying in Inverness would do well to build their Thursday around a morning round at Cabot Cliffs, Canada's top-ranked golf course, where the links-style layout runs along dramatic ocean cliffs — then recover at the clubhouse before heading to Mabou for the night.
Friday is the week's cultural crescendo. The Unama'ki / Cape Breton Film Festival opens at noon at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts, presenting local and international films connected to the island alongside panels and workshops — a landmark inaugural event not to be missed. That same evening, ANDREA BEATON & TROY MACGILLIVRAY perform in Mabou from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. for just $12 — two artists at the very top of their craft delivering the kind of fiddle and step-dance performance Cape Breton is legendary for.
Saturday rounds out the week gently and generously with a free performance by LISA CAMERON & VERN MACDOUGALL in Mabou from 7 to 9 p.m. Before the show, make a stop at The Dancing Goat Cafe & Bakery in Margaree Valley for fresh-baked bread, artisanal sandwiches, and a quality latte — or browse the home-baked goods and local gifts at The Farmers Daughter Country Market in Whycocomagh on the way in or out of the region.
Exquisitely carved out of the breathtaking Cape Breton landscape, with postcard worthy panoramas vying for your attention and rich, rolling fairways waiting to reward your creativity, this is linksland golf at its best. A chance to follow in the legendary footsteps of course designers Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. From cliff to cliff and across rolling sand dunes, experience the game in its most visceral sense: with a stiff coastal wind at your back and a sense of purpose in your swing. Ranked #1 in Canada in SCOREGolf’s Top 100 best golf courses in Canada, #13 in Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses and #11 in Golfweek’s Top 100 International Golf Courses in 2024, Cabot Cliffs alongside its sister course Cabot Links, has transformed Cape Breton Island into one of North America’s most noteworthy golf destinations. Cabot Cliffs is a walking-only course, a style of play that heightens the experience of the game, connecting the golfer with the landscape and inviting creativity into every shot. Of course, exceptions can be made – and carts provided – for those of our guests with medical limitations. In addition, experienced caddies are ready to provide helpful advice on everything from shot selection to the course’s various topographical nuances. “Midway through my maiden round at Cabot Cliffs, strung along ocean bluffs above the town of Inverness, Nova Scotia, I became overwhelmed by an emotion best described as giddy. (…) The sense of awe and discovery was so intense. (…) By round’s end, I’d lost all objectivity. This is the second coming of Cypress Point, which in my mind was previously unmatched in its beauty, variety and thrills.”- Ron Whitten, Golf Digest Visit our website for a hole-by-hole tour at https://cabotcapebreton.com/golf/cabot-cliffs
Cradled in the picturesque hills of the Mabou Highlands, our unsurpassed view is perfect for gourmet cuisine. Savour the freshest of Nova Scotia and international cuisine in our Pub and Dining Room, featured in ’Where to Eat in Canada’. Celtic music and a dram of Canadian single malt whisky, Glen Breton Rare, lay the groundwork for your unique Cape Breton experience. Glenora Inn features nine rooms and six highland chalets. You can also enjoy a guided tour of the distillery and private tastings.
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
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.
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.
Located on over a mile of sandy beach along the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia—and nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness—Cabot Cape Breton features 46 holes of exhilarating golf and one of the best resort experiences in Canada. With two acclaimed World Top 100 courses, 72 rooms of award-winning accommodation, 19 upscale Golf Villas, and exquisite dining in three on-site restaurants, Cabot Cape Breton is intended to excite and inspire at every turn. Resort Overview 2 acclaimed World Top 100 golf courses, Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs 1 Par 3, 10-hole short course, The Nest 72 rooms of award-winning hotel accommodation 19 upscale Golf Villas 30 Luxurious Homes 4 restaurants; Panorama, Cabot Bar, The Barn, Whit’s Public House 2 beach accesses within walking distance of the resort Awards ScoreGolf—Top Canadian Public Courses (Cabot Cliffs #1, Cabot Links #2) Golf Digests—World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses (Cabot Cliffs #10, Cabot Links #39) Conde Nast Traveler—Top 10 Resorts in Canada (Cabot Cape Breton No. 10) Golf Digest—Best Golf Resorts in Canada (Cabot Cape Breton) Forbes—Top 10 Best Golf Trips around the World Forbes – Top 10 Best Golf Resorts With Private Cottages or Cabins Travel+Leisure – Top 10 Resort Hotels in Canada (Cabot Links Lodge #8) Facilities/Services Cabot Links Golf Course: Rod Whitman design. Par 70, 6854 yards. Walking course (carts available if medically required) Golf Digest World’s 100 Greatest Courses: #10 Cabot Cliffs Golf Course: Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design. Par 72, 6764 yards. Walking course (carts available if medically required) Practice range Golf Digest World’s 100 Greatest Courses: #39 The Nest Short Course: Rod Whitman & Dave Axland design. Par 3, 10-hole Night Golf Lodging: 72 Oceanview rooms at the Cabot Links Lodge 49 Upscale homes ranging from 2 to 5 bedrooms Dining: Whit’s Public House Panorama Cabot Bar The Barn Services: Transportation between Links & Cliffs properties Airport, local and other transportation available Local activity bookings Bell service Accommodation Types: Resort Rooms • Floor to ceiling windows • Walk-in rainfall showers • Plush pillow top beds • Nespresso Machine • Italian Terry cloth towels and robes Villa Rentals 19 upscale Golf Villas (ranging from 2 to 4 bedrooms) Open-concept living space Custom kitchen with premium appliances Private deck Cabot Cliffs An 18-hole invitation to take the road less travelled, with the freedom of unfamiliar terrain beneath your feet and uncommon beauty as far as the eye can see. Cabot Cliffs is designed by legendary course designers, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and carved out of the Cape Breton coastline. From high cliffs to rolling dunes Cabot Cliffs is 6,765 yards and Par 72 Cabot Links Set against a breathtaking landscape and designed by Canadian golf course architect, Rod Whitman, this is golf as it was meant to be. Each of the 18holesoffers an ocean view and five holes play directly adjacent to the beach. This is the first authentic links in Canada, and one of the world’s greatest courses. The place that speaks to golf’s elemental and undeniable truthis6,854 yards and Par 70 The Nest Opened for the 2021 season, the new short course is a Par 3, 10-hole routing perched on the highest point of Cabot Cliffs, affording some of the best views on property. The Rod Whitman/Dave Axland design has a great deal of variety and shot value and is modelled after the same style of golf as Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs. Your golf day can also extend well beyond sundown with night golf at offered at The Nest!
From the pulse of a ceilidh hall to the sweep of coastal links and the screen of a debut film festival, the western shore of Cape Breton rewards every kind of traveller this last week of September — come for a night and you'll likely stay for the whole week.
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