Dougie MacLean for HebCelt Festival

17 years after he first appeared at the inaugural event, Dougie MacLean will return to Hebridean Celtic Festival for it's 18th birthday taking place at Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland from Wednesday 17th to Saturday 20th of July 2013.

MacLean, 58, who is based in Butterstone, near Dunkeld, will mark 40 years as a professional musician next year, penned 'Caledonia', which is regarded as Scotland's alternative national anthem and has been recorded by hundreds of artists. MacLean will be making his first appearance at HebCelt since 1996. He does have strong connections to the islands and is a regular visitor to the area, having had what he calls an 'inspirational' home in Uig, on the west side of Lewis, for the last 20 years.

He is currently planning a tour of Australia next month and is due to record a new album with the Scottish National Orchestra later this year. HebCelt will be one of a select number of festivals to showcase MacLean with a new line-up, The MacLean Project, a nine-piece band with MacLean on vocals, guitar, fiddle and digeridoo, his son Jamie, who plays drums and percussion and has produced his father's last three albums, as well as father and son Gordon Maclean (bass, vocals) and Sorren Maclean (acoustic guitar, vocals); Ross Ainslie (whistles, pipes, mandocello); Chris Marra (electric & acoustic guitar, vocals); Laura Beth Salter (mandolin, vocals); Pete Garnett (accordion, harmonium) and Hannah Fisher (fiddle, vocals).

MacLean said, "This has already been a fantastic year for me and I am looking forward to touring and playing as much as ever. I am delighted to be appearing at HebCelt which is an internationally renowned festival in a beautiful part of the world and an island I've come to know extremely well."

He joins the first bands to be announced are Battlefield Band, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, and The Hot Seats.

Many complementary events are also hosted by community groups around Stornaway and the islands of Lewis and Harris catering for a variety of tastes both musical and otherwise. There are also workshops often given by many of the festival's performers, which includes masterclass sessions. Also included are the ever popular Gaelic language tasters, lectures and children's entertainment plus numerous pub sessions in Stornoway and the surrounding area. As well as the music there's also a full programme of family entertainment, as well as a street arts programme with walkabout, workshops and fire shows.

A ticket is priced at £70 for the four days (£55 for concession and £15 for children under 14).

To buy tickets, click here.

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