2026 Programme
Lowender Festival
thursday 15 – Sunday 18 October
Lowender Celtic Festival is back in 2026 with more opportunities for cultural exchange, dance and song!
Sign up to our enews to be the first to find out about ticket tiers, line up announcements and the 2026 programme.
thursday 15th OCToBER
Redruth Wesley
- 19:30 – Anna Anise Album Launch
Featuring all the musicians who played on Anna’s debut bilingual Cornish/English album, Aneth. Aneth means ‘marvel’ or ‘wonder’ in Cornish.
Buttermarket
- 17:30 – Yeth an Werin
A Yeth an Werin (Language of the People) is a gathering of Cornish speakers allowing the fluent and learners alike to immerse themselves in the language in a relaxed environment. Anyone welcome to come and test out their Cornish, or simply have a bite to eat and hear what the language sounds like.
- 19:00 – Sundown Session
Join local musicians for a session of lively Celtic music.
friday 16th OCToBER
Redruth Library
- 11:00 – 12:00 – Rhyme Time
- A playful hour for 0-5 year olds with rhymes in Cornish and English.
Redruth Wesley
- 19:30 – Michael McGoldrick & Tim Edy
- Manchester born flutes, whistles and uillean pipes maestro Michael McGoldrick teams up with Tim Edey, one of the world’s finest melodeon and guitar players.
- Support comes from the excellent Jen & Toby Kessel.
Redruth Community Centre
- Workshops / Hweljiow (Main Hall)
- 18:00 – 18:30 – Nos Lowen Cornish Dance Workshop
Evening Dance and Music / Dons hag Ilow Gorthugher (Main Hall)
- 19.30 – Nos Lowen Cornish Dance with Dalla Duo
- 20:30 – Floor spot
- 21:00 – Scottish Ceilidh with caller Kate Smith from Ceilidh Cornwall
- 22:00 – Manx floor spot with Skeddan Jiarg
- 22:30 – Manx Ceilidh with Scran
Acoustic Music Sessions / Rakka Ilow Acoustek (Murdoch Bar)
- Enjoy an informal acoustic music session, bring your instruments and singing voices or just enjoy the atmosphere.
Redruth Buttermarket
- Free event!
- 20:00 – DJ Set
- Groove to Celtic sounds
saturday 17th OCTOBER
Redruth Buttermarket &
Market Hall
- Free events!
10:00 – 16:00 – Courtyard
- Music, dance, wrestling displays, family ceilidh
10:00 – 14:00 – Market Hall
- Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo
THE LADDER
Workshops / Hweljiow
- 10:30 – 12:00 – Accompaniment Workshop with Tim Edey on guitar
10:30 – 12:00 – Whistle Workshop
- with Michael McGoldrick on whistles
12:30 – 14:00 – Irish Set Dance Workshop
- with Kevin & Carol Monaghan
13:00 – 14:00 – Book Launch
- Free event!
- Launch of a new book of translations from an C18th Scots Gaelic poet by translator Taylor Stickland.
- Drinks & nibbles.
14:30 – 16:30 – Words Without Borders: Celtic Languages in Translation Poetry Readings
- A unique opportunity to experience literature written in each of the Celtic languages – Breton, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, Manx and Cornish.
REDRUTH Community Centre
- 10:00 – 14:00 – Craft Fair & Family Activities
- Free events!
- Talk / Areth (Red Room / Stevel Rudh)
- 15:00 – 16:30 – Talk about Cornish Pub songs with Hilary Coleman & Sally Burley
- Shout / Garm (Murdoch Bar)
- 16:30 – 18:00 – Shout with the Red River Singers
Workshops / Hweljiow (Main Hall)
- 15:00 – 16:30 – Manx Dance Workshop
- 17:00 – 18:30 – Breton Dance Workshop
Evening Dance and Music / Dons hag Ilow Gorthugher (Main Hall)
- 19.30 – Irish Ceilidh with Kevin & Carol Monaghan
- 20:30 – Floor spot
- 21:00 – Fest Noz with Landat Moisson
- 22:00 – Floor spot
- 22:30 – Ginger’s Remix : Reels & Heels – a troyl with a twist from the sweetest Queen in town. Ginger from Redruth’s famous Drag Queen Diner joins Splann for an epic covers‑ceilidh guaranteed to ‘splanna’ (splanna means to ‘shine’ in Cornish).
Acoustic Music Session / Rakka Ilow Acoustek (Murdoch Bar)
- Enjoy an informal acoustic music session, bring your instruments and singing voices or just enjoy the atmosphere.
REDRUTH WESLEY CHURCH
- 14:00 – Concert / Kescan
- with Neear Nesañ & Landat Moisson & The Twin Tides
- 19:30 – Concert / Kescan – Mari Mathias
- …an evening of Celtic music curated by Stone Club
sunday 18th OCTOBER
Wesleyan Buildings: Jubilee Hall
- Free event!
10:30 – Celtic Service / Gonis Keltek
A special Celtic service held by Redruth Methodist Church. All welcome.
redruth Community Centre
- Workshops / Hweljiow
- 10:00 – 11:30 – Irish Sets Workshop (Main Hall)
- with Kevin & Carol Monaghan
10.00 – 11.30 – Cornish & Breton Language Taster (Blue Room / Stevel Glas)
A chance to pick up or practice Cornish & Breton.
14.00 – 16.30 – Exploring Cornish and Welsh Tunes (Red Room / Stevel Rudh)
with Tommie & Christine
10.00 – 12.00 – Building Audiences for Cornish Music (Red Room / Stevel Rudh)
Conference / Keskussulyans
12:00 – 13:00 – Callers’ Chat (Blue Room / Stevel Glas)
including how to use the new dance music resources
13:30 – 15:30 – Youth Tune Swap – Cornish / Manx (Main Hall)
Cornwall Youth Folk Ensemble mash up with Scran
16:30 – 18:00 – Youth-led Afternoon Cabaret / Concert (Main Hall)
with Woodkern & Scran
Evening Dance and Music / Dons hag Ilow Gorthugher
19:30 – 21:00 – Survivors’ Ceilidh / Troyl Duryoryon (Main Hall)
For those who have made it to the bitter end – we salute you! A last chance to dance out Lowender!
Acoustic Session (Murdoch Bar)
Enjoy an informal acoustic music session, bring your instruments and singing voices or just enjoy the atmosphere.
REDRUTH WESLEY CHURCH
12:30 – 13:30 Mike O’Connor Music Talk
on the making of Lost Voices of the Moor.
14:30 – 16:00 – Lost Voices of the Moor
with Mike O’Connor and Barbara Griggs
