Celtic Connections 2020: What's on, venues and ticket info as the festival returns to Glasgow

Now in its 26th year, Celtic Connections is the UK’s premier celebration of celtic music and is described as a festival that ‘lights up winter’ in Scotland. This year, visitors can expect 300 events over 18 days, featuring more than 2000 musicians from 50 countries.

When is Celtic Connections 2020?

The festival runs from 16th January until the 2nd February with events held in various locations throughout Glasgow.

How much are tickets and where are they available?

Tickets start from around £11 with most events coming in at £20-25 although there are some free events. More ticket info and online bookings are available on the Celtic Connections website.

What’s on?

A huge number of live music, ceilidhs and even a festival within the festival are taking place this month.

Highlights include the world premiere of a new orchestral symphony inspired by the Declaration of Arbroath. Composed of six brand new pieces by leading Scottish composers, the symphony will be performed by the Grit Orchestra.

If whisky is your thing then head along to SWG3 and toast our national bard on the 25th January at the National Whisky Festival.

For a bit of everything, and the start of Scotland’s year-long celebration of Coasts and Waters, the ‘festival within a festival’ is a good place to begin.

On Saturday 18th January, Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall will play host to a whole day of concerts and events including live music from Skerryvore, Capercaillie, Daimh, Julie Fowlis, Gnoss, Ingrid Henderson and Fara.

Here is the entire run down of events, and our critics choice can be read here.

THURSDAY 16 JANUARY

Opening Night: The GRIT Orchestra - 'The Declaration'

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

FRIDAY 17 JANUARY

Breabach & Guests with Seamus Egan Project

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

Dìleab: Air a’ Chuan

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Archieology: Archie Fisher 80th with friends Barbara Dickson & Rab Noakes

Mitchell Theatre, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Lost Map presents Pictish Trail and Rozi Plain

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

Fat-Suit: ‘Waifs & Strays’ & special guests

Drygate, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

New Tradition: Gillian Fleetwood, Rebecca Hill and Sarah MacNeil

Tron Theatre, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 and support

Old Fruitmarket, 9:30pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn with Allt

City Halls, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

The GRIT Orchestra - Martyn Bennett's Grit & Bothy Culture

Barrowland Ballroom, 7.30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Cam Penner & Jon Wood with Midnight Skyracer

GRCH: New Auditorium 7.30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Stockton's Wing and Mná

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

Peggy Seeger & Calum MacColl

Mitchell Theatre, 7.30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

John Craigie and support

CCA, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Blazin' Fiddles & Special Guest Emily Smith and support

GRCH: Main Auditorium 8pm

From £22 plus transaction fee

Ceòlas – 25th Anniversary Concert

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

Ben Miller & Anita MacDonald and support

Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Noah Gundersen and support

Tron Theatre, 8pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dances

Maryhill Community Central Halls, 8pm

£15.40 plus transaction fee

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY

New Voices: Padruig Morrison

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 1pm

From £13.75 plus transaction fee

Hazy Recollections

Drygate, 2pm

£14.30 plus transaction fee

Lucy Rose and Rory Butler

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

Hamish Napier: The Woods with Sarah-Jane Summers: Owerset

Mitchell Theatre, 7:30pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

Tyler Childers and support

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Robert Vincent and Amy Papiransky

Òran Mór, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

A Celebration of Women in Piping

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Dervish & Special Guests: The Great Irish Songbook

Main Auditorium, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 7.30pm

£24.20 plus transaction fee

MONDAY 20 JANUARY

Dementia Friendly Concert: Calum Morrison & Catherine Tinney

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 1:30pm

Free (ticketed)

Iris DeMent and Pieta Brown

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

TUESDAY 21 JANUARY

Brew & A Blether

Mackintosh at The Willow, 1pm

From £11 plus transaction fee

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters and support

Mitchell Theatre, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

The Big Fling - Scottish Dance Band Extravaganza

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7.30pm

From £22 plus transaction fee

Tommy Emmanuel and Rodney Branigan

City Halls, 8pm

From £28.60 plus transaction fee

Cathal McConnell Trio and The Canny Band

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY

Jamie MacDougall: Lauder

Tron Theatre, 2pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

Yorkston/Thorne/Khan and Djana Gabrielle

Drygate, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Jimmie McGregor at 90 Years Young

Òran Mór, 7.30pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

Maggie MacInnes and Dàibhidh Stiùbhard

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Jamie MacDougall: Lauder

Tron Theatre, 8pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

THURSDAY 23 JANUARY

Brew & A Blether

Mackintosh at The Willow, 1pm

From £11 plus transaction fee

BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Awards Concert: 20th Anniversary

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

James Grant & The Hallelujah String Quartet and support

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Rowan Rheingans: Dispatches on the Red Dress

Tron Theatre, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Frazey Ford with Adam Holmes & The Embers

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

The Alistair Anderson Band and support

The Mackintosh Church, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Keb' Mo' and The Jellyman's Daughter

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £26.40 plus transaction fee

Lau and Elmøe & Hoffmann

City Halls, 8pm

From £28.60 plus transaction fee

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY

9Bach and The Little Unsaid

Drygate, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Ana Moura and support

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7.30pm

From £22 plus transaction fee

Mànran

Barrowlands Ballroom, 7.30pm

From £22 plus transaction fee

Susanna 'Go Dig My Grave' and support

The Mackintosh Church, 7.30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Paul McKenna Band with The East Pointers

Òran Mór, 7.30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Hannah Read & Andy Monaghan and support

CCA, 7.30pm

From £14.30 plus transaction fee

Alasdair Roberts og Völvur and support

Platform, 7.30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Glad Community Choir Sing Glasgow Inner Choir

Langside Church, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Michael McGoldrick Fused 20th and Dochas

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

The Felice Brothers and The Rails

Saint Luke’s, 8pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

The Jacob Jolliff Band and support

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Boo Hewerdine & Gustaf Ljunngren: Before and support

Tron Theatre, 8pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY

The National Whisky Festival

SWG3, Session One: 12pm/ Session Two: 4.15pm

From £38.50 plus transaction fee

Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band with Tryst

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 12.30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Auld Lang Syne: BBC SSO & Special Guests

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7.30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Peat & Diesel and support

Barrowland Ballroom, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

The Lone Bellow (TRIIIO Tour) and support

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Christine Hanson's 'The Cremation of Sam McGee'

Mitchell Theatre, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Ryan Bingham - 'An evening of songs and stories' and Steph Grace

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

The Friel Sisters with The High Seas

The Mackintosh Church, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

J.P. Bimeni & The Black Belts and support

Òran Mór, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

BEMIS presents Les Amazones d’Afrique & Special Guests

Tramway, 7.30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

Flook and The Jacob Jolliff Band

City Halls, 7.30pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

Glorious Traces: The Music of Others

The Glad Café, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Damien O'Kane & Ron Block and support

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Peatbog Faeries and The Poozies

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dances

Maryhill Community Central Halls, 8pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

SUNDAY 26 JANUARY

New Voices: Catriona Price

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 1pm

From £13.75 plus transaction fee

Hazy Recollections

Drygate, 2pm

£14.30 plus transaction fee

Roaming Roots Revue presents Born To Run: 70th Birthday Tribute to Bruce

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Robyn Hitchcock and support

Drygate, 7.30pm

£17.60 plus transaction fee

Irmin Schmidt and support

Platform, 7.30pm

From £22 plus transaction fee

Phil Cunningham: The Big Six-O Birthday Bash

City Halls, 7.30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Avi Kaplan and support

Saint Luke’s, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Catrin Finch & Cimarron and Dowally

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

TMSA 'Flooers O' The Fairest' Celebrating the lives of Gordeanna McCulloch, Anne Neilson & Maureen Jelks

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

MONDAY 27 JANUARY

The Milk Carton Kids with The Secret Sisters

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

TUESDAY 28 JANUARY

Brew & A Blether

Mackintosh at The Willow, 1pm

From £11 plus transaction fee

Cherish the Ladies 35th Anniversary Celebration

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7.30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Della Mae and Teilhard Frost

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Nitin Sawhney and support

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £26.20 plus transaction fee

WEDNESDAY 29 JANUARY

Dementia Friendly Concert: Ainsley Hamill & Alistair Paterson

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 1:30pm

Free (ticketed)

Mhairi Hall: Airs

Recital Room, 5pm

From £14.30 plus transaction fee

‘Return To Y'Hup’: The World Of Ivor Cutler

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Sam Baker

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Dallahan with JUURi &JURRI

Tramway, 7.30pm

Price TBC

Grace Petrie and support

King Tut’s, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction

Rachel Dadd and support

The Glad Café, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Anais Mitchell and Bonny Light Horseman

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Sam Lee and Iona Fyfe Trio

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY

Charlie Grey & Joseph Peach: Air Iomall

Recital Room, 5pm

From £14.30 plus transaction fee

Brew & A Blether

Mackintosh at The Willow, 1pm

From £11 plus transaction fee

'Sky' & 'Lammermuir' - featuring Tessa Lark, Phamie Gow & the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

‘The Orcadians of Hudson’s Bay’ and support

Mitchell Theatre, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Isobel Campbell and support

The Mackintosh Church, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

Session A9 and Johanna Juhola Trio

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7.30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

The Langan Band and support

Òran Mór, 7.30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Kacy & Clayton and support

CCA, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Joe Newberry & April Verch with The Ledger

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

FRIDAY 31 JANUARY

Transatlantic Sessions

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £30.80 plus transaction fee

Sturgill Simpson and support

Old Fruitmarket, 9:30pm

From £26.40 plus transaction fee

Fatoumata Diawara and VILDÁ

Tramway, 7:30pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

Kinnaris and Westward the Light

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Ross Ainslie & The Sanctuary Band and support

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee

Fiona Hunter with The Trails of Cato

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 8pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

ANÚNA with M'ANAM and SIAN

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, 8pm

From £22 plus transaction fee

Tradbeats / É.T.É / Krismenn & Alem

Mitchell Theatre, 7.30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction

SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY

Le Vent du Nord 'Symphonique' with Orchestre Écossais

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £24.20 plus transaction fee

Simon Thacker's Svara-Kanti with Afsana Khan, Jackie Shave & Sukhvinder Singh "Pinky" and support

Tramway, 7:30pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

Sierra Hull and Awkward Family Portraits

GRCH: New Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

Frigg with Ímar

City Halls, 7.30pm

From £19.80 plus transaction fee

RANT with SVÄNG

The Mackintosh Church, 7:30pm

From £18.70 plus transaction fee

Christine Kydd and support

Drygate, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Ryley Walker and support

CCA, 7.30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Alex Rex Album Launch featuring Lavinia Blackwell and Stilton, Cath and Phil Tyler & Boss Morris

Platform, 7.30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Yng Ngheredigion

The Glad Café, 7.30pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

Salsa Celtica 25th Anniversary Big Band and Project SMOK

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £22.00 plus transaction fee

Field Music and Tenement & Temple

Kelvingrove Art Gallery, 8pm

From £23.10 plus transaction fee

Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dances

Maryhill Community Central Halls, 8pm

From £15.40 plus transaction fee

SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY

New Voices: Marit Fält

GRCH: Strathclyde Suite, 1pm

From £13.75 plus transaction fee

Matt Carmichael & Fergus McCreadie

Recital Room, 5pm

From £14.30

Transatlantic Sessions

GRCH: Main Auditorium, 7:30pm

From £30.80 plus transaction fee

Kokoroko and support

Saint Luke’s, 7:30pm

From £16.50 plus transaction fee

Shovels & Rope and support

Òran Mór, 7.30pm

From £15.40

Move-Gluasad

Platform, 7.30pm

From £13.75

RURA: 10 Years and special guests

Old Fruitmarket, 8pm

From £17.60 plus transaction fee