Nestled in the heart of Australia’s most Irish village, Koroit in Victoria, the Lake School of Celtic Music, Song, and Dance continues to be a cherished tradition, celebrating its 26th anniversary from January 2nd to 7th, 2025. 

This family-friendly event transforms the village into a bustling hub of Celtic culture.

DATES & DEETS

Born in 1999 from a dream shared by Felix and Christine Meagher and Val Cookson, the Lake School began as a vision to bring a slice of Ireland’s Willie Clancy Summer School to Australia. Unable to afford the trip to Ireland, the trio was encouraged by Jamie McKew, Director of the Port Fairy Folk Festival, to create their own version locally. With secured funding, the first Lake School was a success, and the event has since grown into a staple of Koroit’s cultural calendar, welcoming around 500 attendees annually.

The 2025 program is packed with workshops, sessions, and concerts. The immersive week offers something for all levels, whether you’re a seasoned performer or a beginner. Local businesses and residents get involved in making the festival a lively, unforgettable experience, with spontaneous sessions cropping up all over town.

The 2025 Lake School offers opportunities to learn from tutors – outstanding musicians, singers and dancers from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Geelong, Ballarat and Warrnambool! Learn to play Irish flute, fiddle, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, bodhrán (Irish drum), guitar, banjo, harp and song writing. Play in a ceili band. Join a Celtic band! Play, session and sing with hundreds of musicians from all around Australia.

The school, a not-for-profit community organisation, reinvests its earnings into future events, ensuring that the festival continues to evolve while staying true to its roots. 

Set against the backdrop of Koroit’s beautiful scenery, it’s a celebration of Celtic heritage that draws people from all walks of life to share in the joy of music and culture.

You can immerse yourself in the culture whilst attending one or more daytime classes which include Mandolin, Fiddle, Concertina, Choral Singing, Flute, Guitar, Pub Singers, Slow Session, Whistle, Banjo, Irish Music, Pipes, Irish Language, Banjo, Harp, Ukelele, Bodhran, Set Dancing, Lake Singers, Poetry, and Youth Program. 

Special events in the evenings include Welcome BBQ, Mark and Lisa McDonnell – Slow Session House Party, Youth Session, Songwriters Session, Bluegrass Pick, Spud Poet Night, Blackboard Concert, Op Shop Ceilidhe, Grand Hooley Presentation Night, Starts on the Lake Concert, and Youth Ensemble Performance. 

For more information or to secure tickets, visit Bushwahzee or email Felix at felix@bushwahzee.com.

Pictures: Koroit Lake School 2024. Credit: Vince Brophy/facebook.com/celticlakeschool.