Ben Smith

Ben Smith spent most of his childhood on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao while also spending summers and holidays in Cape Breton and Antigonish visiting family. With Scottish roots in Antigonish County and Christmas Island, and a love of fiddle music passed down from his grandfather in Florence, Ben developed a strong connection to Cape Breton’s culture and music. This connection led him to Cape Breton University, where he recently completed a dual degree, studied traditional music, and made Cape Breton his home.

Growing up, Ben attended The Gaelic College summer sessions, learning from some of Cape Breton’s finest musicians. A fiddler for over ten years, he has performed in recording studios, orchestras, community events, and local cèilidhs.

You can also catch Ben performing at venues across Cape Breton with the band Coastline. Coastline will make their debut at KitchenFest! this year, performing at The Big Bash on June 30 and The Old Triangle on July 1.