Entertainment

Accordionist, guitarist, and player of pocket-sized instruments, Mary Beth Carty of Lanark, Antigonish County, possesses a magical voice and a stage-presence known to rouse audiences to sing and dance along. Her new album Crossing the Causeway reached No. 1 on the Folk DJ-L radioplay chart. It fuses traditional song, instrumental tunes, & songwriting to create a multilingual tour-de-force that reflects the diverse yet unified roots of Eastern Nova Scotia. Her debut solo album, Les biens-nommés, earned an ECMA nomination and for her duo album Voici… Bette & Wallet she was nominated Traditional Singer of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. With a unique live show that is itself a journey of emotions, times, & places, she has had the opportunity to tour in North America, Europe, and Africa. “She got the crowd singing along. It was something else!” – Bill Roach, CBC Radio.

Heather MacIsaac of Antigonish began piano lessons at the age of 5. At 12, after following in the Highland dancing footsteps of her sisters, she turned her attention to bagpipes.  It was then that music became a major influence in her life.  She has been privileged to be able to study with some of the world’s top pipers. By 16 she had won many of the amateur prizes, began teaching and joined the Grade 1 pipe band in Halifax. While completing degrees at both St.FXU and Dalhousie, she continued to play with the 78th Highlanders Halifax-based band including competing in the final at the World Pipe Band Championships and winning the North American Championships.  She is currently taking a break from competitive piping to explore different styles of traditional music and composition.  In addition to being a piper, she also plays whistles, accordion, small-pipes, piano and sings. MacIsaac works as a pharmacist at the local hospital and plays at local concerts, sessions, and events

Antigonish County native, Maureen Fraser, has been step-dancing most of her life. She began taking lessons from Margie Dunn, in early childhood and continues to attend seminars and workshops to this day. She has danced at various concerts and festivals throughout the Maritimes including the Broad Cove Concert and the Celtic Colours Festival. She’s appeared on ASN-TV’s Breakfast Television, has adjudicated step dancing festivals in PEI and was the director of the Antigonish Highland Games “Concert Under the Stars” for over six years.

Junior Fraser is a guitarist who grew up in Ohio, Antigonish County and now lives in Pomquet, Antigonish County. He started playing guitar at the age of 14, learning by ear, and hasn’t stopped since. He’s a regular on the concert and ceilidh scene in both Antigonish and Cape Breton performing alongside many musicians over the years.

A collection of incredible dancers from the MacLeod School of Highland Dance performing several traditional dances.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Rob Halligan hails from Kingston, Ontario but has called Antigonish home for the past 11 years. Affectionately nicknamed Bobby Bonez, Rob has become a staple in the local music scene in town. He played a pivotal role in opening the Oak Manor Taproom and turning it into the music hub we know today. Rob‘s roots lie in traditional Celtic/Irish/Scottish music with a good mix of Canadiana Folk and Covers. 

Nathan Langley is a Singer/Songwriter from Country Harbour, Guysborough County. Nathan brings a blend of classic folk and country to the stage. With 10 years of originals up his sleeve, there’s sure to be a song or two for everyone.

Joe MacMaster is a Cape Breton fiddler deeply rooted in the music of his native island. A traditionalist since childhood, he took a strong interest in his Scottish Gaelic heritage at 12 years of age, which soon after prompted his uptake of the music.  A nephew to Natalie MacMaster and grandnephew to Buddy MacMaster—two of the most esteemed Cape Breton fiddlers—Joe has learned from the best. Since beginning his career at 15, he has performed regularly around Cape Breton and beyond, bringing his playing to audiences across the United States, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and Scotland. In 2022, he released his debut self-titled album. As a teacher he hopes to impart a love both of how the music is played, and why, infusing repertoire, technique, and history into his classes. In 2021 he completed a Bachelor of Science at St. Francis Xavier University and is currently enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at St. Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto, in formation to the priesthood for the Diocese of Antigonish.

Quiet and unassuming, Iain MacQuarrie is quickly making a name for himself as a piano player in the local area of Inverness County. He has a passion for the “Scottish tunes” and works tirelessly fine tuning his skills on the piano. He comes from a musical family and first came on to the stage as a step-dancer. He would often attend St. Ann’s Gaelic College during the summer when his mom, Cheryl worked as one of the dance instructors. Iain is excited to participate in KitchenFest! for the first time.

Honourable Rodney J. MacDonald, E.C.N.S. (Executive Council of Nova Scotia), is an accomplished Cape Breton musician and dancer who has performed across Atlantic Canada, the Eastern United States, Central Canada, and Scotland. He is the grandson of the renowned fiddler and composer, the late Donald Angus Beaton, and comes from a family rich in musical tradition. Rodney began step dancing at a young age at home and picked up the fiddle at age 12, learning from his uncle, Kinnon Beaton. He released his solo recording Dancer’s Delight in 1995, followed by Traditionally Rockin’ in 1997 (with Glenn Graham), and was featured on the 2004 Smithsonian release The Beaton Family of Mabou: Cape Breton Fiddle and Piano Music. Rodney MacDonald is a former Premier of Nova Scotia and Cabinet Minister. He currently serves as President of Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College and Beinn Mhàbu, and lives in Mabou, Cape Breton, with his wife Gayle and their three children.

Traditionally known for his fiddle playing, Glenn is also a composer, songwriter, step dancer, music instructor and published author. His music has been featured on the hit TV show “Dawson’s Creek”, multiple CD compilations, TV specials, and independent films. He has been nominated for many East Coast Music Awards, and his band with his cousin, the Honorable Rodney MacDonald, has been in high demand for many years. Glenn continues to perform and teach the fiddle. He presently resides in Antigonish, Nova Scotia with his wife and young son and is employed as an Assistant Professor at St. F. X. University.

Joël Chiasson is a veteran piano player and step dancer from Cheticamp, Cape Breton. Citing Hilda Chiasson as his biggest influence, Joël has provided piano accompaniment on more than 25 recordings by artists including Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac, Mary Jane Lamond, Buddy MacMaster and Andrea Beaton over the past 30 years. In the late 1990s, Joël toured extensively with Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster. Over the years, Joël has taught Cape Breton style step dancing through workshops across Canada and the United States. Today Joël lives in Sydney with his family and works as a school teacher, but thankfully he still manages to get out and play for concerts and dances in and around Cape Breton.