It’s that time of year again. The time when Cape Breton shows off its most magnificent Fall colours and welcome visitors from near and far to the annual Celtic Colours International Festival! If you are one of the lucky ones who will be in Cape Breton for the Festival, we are thrilled that you decided to share this annual celebration with us. Whether this is your first time or a return visit, we want to make sure this is your best Celtic Colours experience yet.

Do you? I don't... but I know a few more words after traveling Cape Breton Island for two days this week visiting the best Celtic and Gaelic sites we have to offer.

When I worked in the festival world people would often ask what my real or full time job was. I guess this is understandable if you've never looked behind the scenes at a music festival. All most people see is a public explosion of activity for a short period of time. In fact, the cycle of fundraising, planning, promotion, production and reporting on the results of a major festival goes on year round.

In my last blog I told you about the Celtic Colours Festival Club. While you never know exactly what might happen on any given night at the Club, there has been one constant every night since the beginning in 1997. That constant is also the glue that holds the club together, host T.R. Buddy MacDonald.

Saturday morning marks a new season and Fall is definitely in the air! I was in Baddeck yesterday and Port Hawkesbury two days before that and the trees are starting to show off their brilliant hues. But don't worry, there is still a lot to do here on Cape Breton Island.

My Father used to use the term, “A Pig In a Poke” to warn me to always carefully examine something before I bought it to be sure of its value. An example would be taking a used car for a test drive before buying it. Sage advice from my Dad.

How then, does this explain people lining up to pay $20 to attend an entertainment event where they don’t even know who is going to perform that night? This has been happening for 15 years at the Festival Club of the Celtic Colours International Festival.

“The work itself has a complete circle of meaning and counterpoint. And without your involvement as a viewer, there is no story." Anish Kapoor

We all have certain dates that hold special meaning for us. It is usually birthdays, anniversaries and the like. October 10, 1997 is one of those dates for me. After a year and a half of living in a world where two steps forward and one step back was the norm, this was the opening night of the first Celtic Colours International Festival.

If you ask most people where they can hear Celtic music they would likely answer Scotland and Ireland. An increasing number of folks would also think of Cape Breton because of our living Gaelic culture.

It would surprise some people that the areas of north western Spain, Galicia and Asturias, are also widely recognized as Celtic nations. Both of these regions also have a very active bagpipe tradition. (Their version of the instrument is called the gaita.)

I once asked my Grandmother if she ever imagined that she would be celebrating her 95^th birthday. Without a moment’s hesitation she replied, “Max, before you know it you’ll be 80.”

I was 32 at the time and thought she was trying to be funny. She did have a wicked sense of humor. Well, that was 30 very quick years ago and now I’m just hoping she was right and I get to see 80.