MUSIC | FILM | STORYTELLING
FESTIVAL DATES: Friday 2 May – Monday 12 May 2025
Edinburgh Tradfest’s programme of sensational live music, storytelling and film continues across the city this weekend.
Plus, just announced, BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician for 2025, singer Ellie Beaton will be performing at St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile today at lunchtime (1.30pm), ahead of her evening concert at the Traverse tonight.
This half hour event is free and is part of a new pop-up programme of impromptu events happening across the city.
Other highlights not to be missed include:
- Gaelic singer, broadcaster, and cultural ambassador Joy Dunlop who is this year’s Rebellious Truth talk guest on Sunday afternoon. Joy will be sharing her story from when she first learnt Gaelic at school in Oban, to reading the weather on the BBC.
- Finnish throat singer Pelkkä Poutanen (above) who mixes different folk traditions with classical, roots, electronic and pop music and, whose unique vocal techniques, rarely performed by women, are not to be missed!
- A line-up of incredible emerging musicians performing at this year’s ETF Spotlight concert including Miwa Nagato-Apthorp whose debut album Noren is released this month; Parsisonic led by Iranian duo Aref Ghorbani and Amir Hossein Feyzi, a Glasgow based quartet bridging cultural gaps with their unique cross genre sound. Plus, one of the most respected Gaelic trad fusion bands Dlù, whose members originate from school days at the Gaelic School in Glasgow.
For film-goers the Folk Film Gathering continues its fantastic programme of world film which includes a whole day dedicated to the work of the late Douglas Eadie on Sunday, 11 May; and a screening of Gerda Stevenson’s recent documentary Paper Portraits which celebrates the history and working people of Penicuik’s paper mills.
Over at the Storytelling Centre The Poet and the Moon led by three Spanish artists including celebrated storyteller Inèz Àlvarez Villa of TuFlamenco presents a tribute to Federico Garcia Lorca, Spain’s most iconic poet, told through poetry and flamenco dance. And, storyteller and journalist Rachel Pugh shares her gripping true story about an ancient bog man found in Lindow Moss in Bog Standard, accompanied by award-winning harpist Lucy Nolan.
Finally, bringing the whole festival to a close will be Siobhan Miller with her sensational band at the Traverse on Monday night.
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “Don’t miss the final weekend of this year’s festival, there are some amazing bands coming up, and fantastic films and storytelling events still to come.
“The festival’s strength of programming this year is exceptional. So, make sure you squeeze in everything you can.”
Edinburgh Tradfest runs until Monday 12 May. For tickets and more information visit edinburghtradfest.com