Traditional Music Festivals Throughout Scotland This Summer

With a culture strong in creativity, community and celebration, Scotland’s summer is rife with traditional music festivals. From the jagged west coast to the green fields of the Borders, this summer Scotland is coming alive with the sound of Celtic, jazz, folk and contemporary music as festival season gets into full swing. Book your tickets now to experience this famously welcoming country at its most celebratory.

With the line-up just announced, the Nairn Jazz Festival is looking better than ever. Held in venues throughout Nairn and the surrounding area, the weeklong international celebration of jazz (from 3 - 8 August 2009) is another fantastic way to experience great live music. As well as live performances from names such as the Joe Ascione Quartet and Roberta Gamarini, the festival will also be hosting its usual diverse mix of master classes, workshops and music film screenings.

Just 30 miles from Edinburgh, and situated in the quaintly beautiful Borders village on the River Tweed, the Innerleithen Music Festival (14 - 16 August 2009) promises to "Bring the stars of Celtic music to the Scottish Borders". Looking at the line-up for this year's festival, it certainly will achieve that! Already confirmed to headline this year's festival, which takes place over several intimate venues across Innerleithen, is the exceptional and well-known Eddie Reader, with old favourites The Karine Polwart Band finishing off Saturday night's run of concerts. Despite its reputation for consistently selecting the very best folk and traditional musicians around, with the likes of Dean Freidman coming all the way from New York to perform, Innerleithen Music Festival still takes a strong interest in local and grassroots music, so expect to hear some stars of the future as they take to the festival stage throughout the weekend.

Kicking off with the Mull of Kintyre Music Festival from 20 - 23 August 2009, this annual event will be headlined by the notoriously lively Red Hot Chilli Pipers. What started as a meeting of music enthusiasts in 1992 has now grown into one of Scotland's most reputable and energetic festivals, making the most of Kintyre's famously warm welcome and great selection of inns, taverns, hotels and open spaces to really make the most of the traditionally-based music acts on offer. Along with the Chilli Pipers, don't miss the Festival Ceilidh on Friday night and take the opportunity to get stuck in with many sessions and workshops taking place over the three days.

From 11 - 13 September 2009, the Islay Jazz Festival takes place at venues right across this Inner Hebridean island. Known as the "Queen of the Hebrides", and for good reason, Islay is considered to be one of Scotland's most  perfect island escapes, home to a great range of wildlife and coastal scenery, as well as eight of world's finest malt whisky distilleries. For one month only this beautiful island will provide the dramatic backdrop to a whole range of live jazz performances. For a full programme, visit the Islay Jazz Festival website.

With the full line-up still to be disclosed, one thing that can be expected from the Tarbert Music Festival is an eclectic mix! Taking place from 18 - 20 September 2009, this largely free festival in the pubs and bars of Tarbert couldn’t ask for a better setting than on the banks of Loch Fyne.

Now into its 16th year, the Jura Music Festival, which promotes itself as "6,000 deer, 200 people, 1 Jura Music Festival", has earned a reputation as a fun, family-friendly festival full of not only music, but also participatory workshops, unique one-off sessions and great craic from beginning to end!

Starting on Friday 25 September with locals and musicians from neighbouring islands, the festival sets the mood with low-key and entertaining performances before Saturday night see the "professionals" take to the stage. Celtic festival mainstays such as Blazin’ Fiddles, Karen Matheson (of Capercaillie fame) and Deaf Shepard have drawn great crowds to the Jura Village Hall in the past and this year sees Breabach and Emily Smith take to the stage. Sunday sees the weekend finish with a musical session at the Parish Church, before the Jura Pub sessions start which no doubt will keep on going into the wee small hours.