Celtic Colours Festival returns to Cape Breton [Video]

The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19. The annual event happens during the peak of the colourful changes to the island’s fall foliage. The hundreds who flock to the festival, come to see the changing of the leaves and listen to the music.

Dave Mahalik is the communications manager with the Celtic Colours Festival. With the exception of one year, he’s been with the festival since its inception 28 years ago.

“Fifty concerts, and there’s more than 200 community cultural events all over the Island,” Mahalik said.

The festival provides an economic boost to the region. Since the first Celtic Colours Festival in 1997, the money generated might outnumber the fall leaves.

“I think we’ve brought in about $208 million in the time that the festival has been on, and that’s just direct spending”, Mahalik said.

Blair Brown is one …