Grab Your Running and Dancing Shoes! A Few Days Left Until the 69th Concert in Broad Cove
Pictured: Runner on the 8 km course - Broad Cove Marsh Road.
It’s hard to believe how fast time flies. Once again, the annual Broad Cove Scottish Concert is upon us. In preparation for this weekend’s festivities, let’s break down all the events to prepare for one of the largest outdoor Scottish concerts on Cape Breton Island.
Saturday, July 26 (9:00 am)
Before you get dancing, you’ll get running. Open to all ages, the annual fun run/walk is a great way to see Broad Cove, stay active, and meet members of the local community, as well as newcomers to the area.
Registration is $10.00, except for the free fun run. You can choose which race you’d like to enter, whether it’s the free fun run, 5 km run/walk, or the 8 km run. The competition is divided into age brackets consisting of Junior (under 18), Open (19-39), Masters (40-59), and Gold Masters (60 and above).
When you arrive at the St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, head over to the refreshment tent to register with our staff. Afterwards, feel free to purchase a Broad Cove Scottish Concert t-shirt or hoodie. Gotta represent!
The event will feature two different courses: a short course for the free fun run, beginning at the Glebe House and proceeding up to the end of the big field, and then back down again; and the main course, which takes 5km and 8km walkers/runners along the picturesque Broad Cove Marsh Road. A water station is located at the 8 km turning point to help give you a boost on the way back to the concert grounds.
Before the event, a short performance by a local musician near the church entrance will provide some Cape Breton-style motivation for the morning’s competitors.
After the run and walk, category winners will be announced at the refreshment tent and provided with their gift bag, which includes delicious treats from Trufflebar Chocolates.
Pictured: Runners cross the finish line; way to go!
Sunday, July 27 (9:30 am)
There is no better place to pray for good weather than at Sunday Mass at St. Margaret of Scotland, the morning before the afternoon outdoor concert.
Our church is a friendly, welcoming place for locals and visitors alike. A piper will greet you with a beautiful tune or two on the way into the church. Inside, you’ll find our church decorated in numerous tartans that represent our Scottish heritage.
After the one-hour mass, feel free to mingle with our parishioners; you never know who you’ll meet: perhaps a new friend or a relative you never knew you had.
Sunday, July 27 (3:00 pm)
As fiddlers rosin their bows and dancers slip on their shoes, make sure to come to Broad Cove early to get the best seat in the house. The procession of talent and concert organizers to the stage, led by the incomparable pipers Marie MacDonald and Kevin Dugas, begins shortly before 3:00 pm. On stage, parish priest Fr. Daniel Tshimbalanga will begin the concert with an opening prayer. This year’s concert is dedicated in memory of long-time parking volunteer, the late John MacDonald. His grandchildren, Flora and Charlotte, and son-in-laws, Steve Ashton and Chris Johnston, take to the stage to perform two sets in honour of John’s years of devotion to the local community.
Throughout the afternoon and evening, Cape Breton’s finest talent promise to put on quite the show. Here is just a handful of performances you can expect: La Swing du Suête, Howie MacDonald, Scotch Four with Heather MacQuarrie, the Pellerin Brothers, and Sheena Boucher, Rachel Davis and Darren McMullen, Jason Roach, and so many other musicians from the island and beyond.
Pictured: Last year’s Scotch Four featuring Dawn Beaton, John and Bill Pellerin, and Sabra MacGillivray. Accompaniment by Rodney MacDonald, Colin MacDonald, and Mac Morin
On-site, we have you covered for all your concert-going needs! Our canteen is stocked with water, pop, chips, coffee, tea, hot dogs, lobster burgers, ham sandwiches, and a variety of other snacks. Next door, visit our hoodie table; they make great souvenirs and will keep you toasty during the colder months. But let’s not think about that right now. Next, make sure to see Joanne and Rose at the ticket and souvenir booth, where you can purchase 50/50 tickets, hats, and pins. Why not go home with some spending money? The winner will be announced during intermission.
On the other end of the grounds, the 19+ refreshment tent has a selection of your favourite local beverages. During intermission, Andrew MacLeod performs inside the tent; we call on the adults to gather there as they wait for the concert to resume. You won’t be disappointed by Andrew’s captivating voice.
Pictured: Patrons inside refreshment time having a swell time.
Is nature also calling? Don’t fret! You won’t need to go too far to use the loo. Porta-potties and a hand-washing station are located right outside the refreshment tent.
Be sure to stick around until the last hour for the headlining act, Rankin MacInnis and the Broken Reeds. Music Nova Scotia's Entertainer of the Year comes with a big band and a big sound. Known for their eclectic, high-energy shows, Rankin and the Broken Reeds bring together the region’s top musical talent for a live-music experience unlike anything you’ve seen before -- one that feels like it spans time and genres, from traditional folk to future pop, fueled by a lot of groove and finished with a bit of grit. Together, the band has built an award-winning music festival (Blueberry Jam), a first-of-its-kind concert series (Rankin’s Winter Warmers), and a community of creative collaborators who are up for anything -- and fans who can’t wait to see what’s next.
And what’s next is Broad Cove!
We’d be remiss not to mention our 2025 partners. Without their support over the years, the concert would not have been around for 69 years.
Celtic Gold: Government of Canada, Government of Nova Scotia, Municipality of Inverness, Destination Cape Breton, Shean CO-OP Inverness, Aucoin Group
Celtic Silver: Freeman’s Pharmachoice, DJ MacLeans & Sons, Tri-Harbour Dental, Highland Village, Margaree Exavating Ltd.
Celtic Bronze: XFM Radio, CBFM Radio, Ms. Brenna’s Corner Store, Ceilidh Denture Clinic.
Sunday, July 27 (After the Concert)
We get it. We don’t want the music and dancing to end either. Just because the concert finishes at 9:00 pm doesn’t mean the fun ends as well. Head over to Southwest Margaree Hall for a square dance. You’ll find Shelly Campbell and Allan Dewar givin’ it their all once again in what is sure to be a time and a half.
In the end…
From Saturday’s race to Sunday’s concert, we won’t say we’re sorry for wearing you out.