Lively kickoff for Grotto concert series

The wonderful sounds of guitar, harp and fiddle, along with the haunting Celtic voices of Hestiaa, kicked off the eleventh annual 2026 Concerts at the Grotto in Alexandria.

The wonderful sounds of guitar, harp and fiddle, along with the haunting Celtic voices of Hestiaa, kicked off the eleventh annual 2026 Concerts at the Grotto in Alexandria. This was the first of the series of free outdoor concerts; music lovers can can look forward to seven more Wednesday evening concerts in July and August. The crowd of over 250 people enjoyed the music of Montreal-based group, Hestiaa, which includes Alexandria native Rachel Campbell on fiddle and harp and Brenna Logan on guitar, who were joined by Irish fiddler Ella Partington for this performance.

Residents from the two, close by retirement homes were on the patio to hear the music as it drifted over Alexandria. Liz Caddell, who organizes the series with her husband Brian, said some dedicated attendees arrived an hour before the show. The series will include the Quigley Highlanders Pipes & Drums, along with Stewart’s Glen, Sarah Caddell & the O’Neils, Mary’s Luck, a Tribute to Dwight Yoakam & Friends, The Paolo Stante Band, Backtracks and Fridge Full of Empties to close out the series.

The concerts start at 7 p.m., except for the Quigley Highlanders who take the stage at 6:30 p.m. The grotto was built in 1954 from stones transported from a church that burnt in Glen Robertson. It is a memorial to Glengarry’s soldiers who were lost in war.

Unfortunately, over time, the Grotto was neglected, falling into disrepair, becoming overgrown and beginning to crumble. That’s when the Caddells stepped in to save the Grotto. The well-known musicians and a group of volunteers spearheaded the concerts with free-will donations by attendees, to raise funds to repair and rejuvenate the Grotto.