Folk & trad Imbolc Festival returning to Derry in January 2023

IMBOLC International Music Festival is firmly embedded in Derry’s cultural calendar and is one of Ireland’s leading folk, trad and roots music festivals.

Based in, and organised by, Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin on Great James Street in the city centre it will run from Sunday, January 29 to Sunday, February 5, with over 100 musicians playing across 15 major events, ten workshops, trad trails and eight days of festivities in its eighth year of running.

Organised by Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, the festival offers concert experiences, with a mixture of favourite international artists, alongside new and emerging talent.

The IMBOLC Festival mission is to "promote the enjoyment of music to children, young people and families and to engage them in creative participation within the festival, continuously devising new opportunities for involvement”.

A spokesperson for the festival organisers said: “Inclusion is central to the ethos of the festival and supporting access to music making for as wide a range of people as possible.

"Music workshops, informal music sessions are on offer as well as specially devised music events for young people with special needs and people with dementia.

“IMBOLC International Music Festival supports and collaborates on bespoke music commissions, with a diverse range of talented composers to develop new work, enabling audiences to discover and experience new music and young musicians to explore their musical creativity.”

Events for the 2023 festival include Project SMOK’s boundary-pushing neo-trad, Armagh Rhymers and informal trad brunches.

There will also musical premieres in the Guildhall with IMBOLC Youth Orchestra and Martin Tourish.

The spokesperson said: “With previous years bringing together over 3,000 attendees and 1,200 participants from near and far to celebrate our shared and extensive cultural heritage, Derry will once again brim with lively music, and livelier times.

"No less so than when you discover first rate traditional Irish music at the heart of the city by following the session trails, snaking their way through our renowned pubs and cafes over the weekend.”

For further info on tickets and full line up visit: www.imbolcfestival.com/festival-2023/whats-on