Tuesday, 4 August 2026

Celtic Music Intrepretive Centre in Judique, The Red Shoe Pub in Mabou + Sunset Sands RV in Port Hood, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Heartland for Cape Breton fiddle music

Today we are travelling the western shore of Cape Breton Island on the Ceilidh (Kay-lee) trail. We pass through the Town of Judique, which was settled in the late 18th century by Highland Scots and is widely celebrated as a historic heartland for Cape Breton fiddle music and Celtic culture. 



Centre for Celtic music and culture. 


We pull into the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre. 

Cool bike rack

Famous East Coast musicians
We tour through the museum and it is very apparent how important music is to East Coasters. This part of the world has produced some amazing artists.


There is an interactive museum complete with a fiddling station to try instruments and of course Chris puts on a show :)


Traditional Ceilidh gathering

This whole music in your soul from your first breath to the last breath is so heart warming to us. I truly wish my family growing up was musical to have experienced all the gatherings and social events that accompanied it all. 


Young musicians performance

There are three young musicians playing at the centre so we sit and enjoy the toe tapping tunes. 









Beach capital of Cape Breton

Just down the road is Port Hood where our RV resort Sunset Sands is located. Port Hood has five great beaches and is known as the beach capital of Cape Breton PLUS also the home of hockey legend Al MacInnis who used to play with the Calgary Flames back in the Wayne Gretzky days. 

Home of Al MacInnis

The Red Shoe Pub

After a bit of down time, we head farther down the road to the Town of Mabou where there is more live music at The Red Shoe Pub - a seasonal restaurant and music venue owned by The Rankin Family. 

The two guys playing are a couple of local musicians and they are fantastic. Such great voices and musical talent. 

Local very talented musicians


Music legends in the sky

There is a picture on the wall that we ask about and learn it is Rita MacNeil (died 2013) entering heaven to join Stompin' Tom Connor (died 2013), Raylene Rankin (died 2012), and Jay Smith (died 2013) - all super successful East Coast musicians.




Fresh Atlantic salmon

Back to our RV resort to enjoy a great dinner of fresh Atlantic salmon and then head down to the beach for the sunset. 

Sunset on Sunset Beach - 1 of 5 beaches here

St. Peter's church above our RV resort

Walking back to our trailer we notice the view up the hill from us. The cemetery headstones are dancing in the light of dusk. Really quite beautiful. 

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