TradFest, Ireland’s largest traditional music festival, returns Jan. 21-25 in multiple locations, including Dublin. (tradfest.com)
While it often feels like Europe moves at a slower pace in winter, that’s not to say it’s completely bereft of cultural offerings at this time of the year. A pleasure that knows no seasons is that of music, and whatever the genre that strikes the right chord with you, there’s likely a festival celebrating that very style in the weeks and months to come.
Celtic in Glasgow: Scotland’s biggest city celebrates the glory of music with Celtic Connections, a festival made up of 300 concerts and events encompassing multiple genres to include folk, indie, traditional, world, fusion, Americana, Gaelic, blues, jazz and more. The festival, which opened Jan. 15 and continues through Feb. 1, stands out for its collaborative shows and one-off line-ups. Performers hailing from Scotland and around the world perform in 25 venues across town. A program highlight is bound to be the Transatlantic Sessions, to be held at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Jan. 30. The evening will be given to exploring the rich musical traditions that connect Scotland, Ireland and the U.S. Online: celticconnections.com
Trad in Dublin: The sound of fiddles, flutes, pipes and bodhráns will fill the air as TradFest, Ireland’s largest traditional music festival, plays out Jan. 21-25. What began as a modest celebration of music largely confined to the pubs lining the cobbled streets of the Temple Bar district two decades ago has since evolved into a major cultural event, giving overseas visitors a chance to experience Irish culture at its most vibrant. A key feature of the festival is its use of unique and unexpected venues, from castles to churches to intimate community spaces far removed from the city center. Performers are a mix of well-established artists and emerging talents, including artists hailing from the US and Scotland. While tickets are a must for most performances, The Smithwick’s Sessions, a series of trad and folk concerts hosted in the pubs and hotels of Temple Bar, can be experienced free of charge. Online: tradfest.com
Classical in Salzburg: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756, and on and around that date each year, the city of his birth marks the occasion with a festival celebrating a legacy beyond compare. From Jan. 22-Feb. 1, Mozart Week plays out in the form of concerts and operas, puppet theater accompanied by live music, cinema evenings, family-friendly performances, special exhibitions, talks and other events. The 2026 edition of Mozart Week celebrates what would have been the famed composer’s 270th birthday and 70 years since the first staging of the festival. This year’s theme, “Lux Æterna,” which translates from Latin to “Eternal Light,” is a nod to his enduring popularity, and a program highlight is a new production of “The Magic Flute” led by artistic director Rolando Villazón. While most performances are ticketed affairs, the concerts held on Mozartplatz are free. Online: mozarteum.at/en/mozart-week#info
Country on tour: Billed by its organizers as Europe’s largest country music event, the C2C: Country to Country Festival has been bringing the sound of Nashville to the opposite shores of the Atlantic since 2013. The next edition of C2C is set to play out from early to mid-March. From March 6-8, headline acts including Scotty McCreery, Jackson Dean, Jordan Davis, Drake Milligan, Zach Top and Kameron Marlowe will be joined onstage by a host of other performers at the Uber Eats Stadium in Berlin, Germany. A range of ticket options are available, from a single-day ticket at a cost of 110 euros to a combi-ticket full festival experience coming in at 430 euros. Online: c2c-countrytocountry.de/en
A C2C concert with a lineup featuring many of the same stars as noted above will take place at the Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands, March 6-7.
From March 13-15, headline acts including Keith Urban, Zach Top, Brooks & Dunn will perform alongside rising stars at three UK venues including the O2 in London; the SSE Arena in Belfast and the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. Tickets can be bought for either a single-day’s performance or entry on all three days of the event (note some events have sold out already). Online: c2c-countrytocountry.com
Electronic dance music in the Alps: Since 2019, one of the world’s largest electronic dance music festivals has found temporary winter quarters in a lively resort town in the French Alps. Tomorrowland Winter, set to unfold from March 21-28 in the Alpe d’Huez, France, combines winter sport with its characteristic over-the-top, fantasy-driven stage sets and nonstop party vibe. The young and beautiful from all corners of the globe, donned in their most outrageous garb, alternate skiing and snowboarding with taking in the music of their favorite DJs on multiple stages scattered across the slopes and town center. The mountain stages are accessible to non-skiers as well. Single, four or seven-day passes remain available; for example, a four-day festival, lift and ski pass goes for 540 euros. Online: winter.tomorrowland.com
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.stripes.com ’
