Integrate some Gaelic into your summer festival plans and head to Tiree. With picture-perfect white sands, world-famous surf and more sunshine than almost anywhere else in the UK, it’s little wonder that the Hebridean island attracts the likes of Valtos, Heisk, Aoife Scott and the Cornaig Cèilidh Band to the Hawai’i of the North (Friday 12–Sunday 14). Then, head across the Minch to Stornoway for HebCelt (Wednesday 17–Saturday 20), which this year features The Willie Campbell Band, Alice MacMillan, Face The West and Katie MacFarlane. 

Running concurrently is a multi-artform offer at An Lanntair. There, programme includes Na h-Òganaich (Saturday 20) and Unnad/Indigenous, an exhibition from photographer Calum Angus MacKay. Thes new works are described as an honest self-examination, imbued with curiosity and a refreshingly unsentimental respect for the past facing up to the present. Further afield in Lewis, HebCelt support a rural concert in Breasclete (Wednesday 17). This time the featured artists are Sian alongside instrumentalist Innes White.

Arran Geopark hold a Gaelic Landscape Walk around the remote north end of Arran, steeped in cultural and natural history. Heading off from the Bay Car Park in Lochranza (Friday 12), bring your boots, waterproofs and a packed lunch. Up north, City Of Inverness Highland Games offers competitions, attractions and a variety of trade stalls (Saturday 13). Sunshine permitting, they’re expecting a great day of piping, Highland dancing and caber-tossing. Then, Speyfest returns (Friday 19–Sunday 21) with performances from Skerryvore, Calum MacPhail, Trail West and Brebach. The Fochabers Stage also welcomes Tìr-Mòr, and Monadh Ruadh at their Moray venue.

In Edinburgh, Baile/Baile bring their unique Gaelic rave to Summerhall, hosting Na Gabh Dragh (Saturday 13). The club night will feature Slàinte Mhath, Bothy Bass Boys and Lara Sinclair, after a Gaelic lesson in the Library Gallery. Shelagh Campbell is from Glasgow and writes fiction for adults and children in Gaelic. Join her at the Gaelic Books Council (Thursday 18) in conversation with Cathy MacDonald about her new novel Far na Slighe (Luath). Also available at the Partick-based bookshop is Teisteanasan, a new multi-lingual edition of Irish poet Anton Floyd’s Depositions, presented in translation into Gaelic, Scots, Irish and Welsh for the first time (Glóir/Dazzling Spark Foundation). Proceeds go to the UNHCR to support refugees. 

In the Borders, you’re invited to the Frasers’ house concert and session outside Jedburgh on Saturday 20. Iain and Ruth host the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail again this year, with young musicians from Dingwall and the surrounding region. In Stirling, the Gaelic meet-up group for parents and children convenes at the Central Library (Tuesday 16, Thursday 25) for children’s books, crafts and singing. If you are a parent interested in Gaelic Medium Education, this is an opportunity to find out more. 

Main pic: Valtos