Rushen Silver Band attended the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in France during August as part of the delegation representing the Isle of Man.

The festival, founded in 1971, features participants from all the world's Celtic nations, and attracts nearly one million spectators over 10 days each August.

This year, Rushen Silver Band performed as part of the interceltic nights in the town's main stadium. These showpiece events take place on five days during the festival, featuring acts from multiple nations, and attract an audience of around 10,000 people each night.

The band also took part in the Grand Parade, with over 70 acts parading through the town through an estimated 80,000-strong crowd.

Towards the end of the festival the band took to the water for the maritime parade -  performing on a traditional fishing vessel as it joined over 50 other boats in a trip in to Lorient’s central harbour. The Band performed Harvest of the Sea, Ellan Vannin and the Manx National Anthem as the vessel sailed in to port.

In addition to the larger events, the Band led other parades through the town, and performed concerts at the 2,500-seater Espace Marine, the Breizh Outdoor Stage, at a local residential home and outside the Manx Pavilion.

Throughout the week it is estimated that the band performed around 150,000 people and several of the events were also featured on French TV.

Tom Sinden, Chairman of Rushen Silver Band said, “The Band would like to put on record their thanks to the Festival Interceltique de Lorient and Culture Vannin for the invitation and their assistance with the event. The festival is a great platform for the Isle of Man to perform to people from all over the world, and the band are honoured to have represented the Island once again.”

www.rushensilverband.org.im