FAQ

For an enquiry get in touch as soon as possible, the earlier the better no date is too far away - we’d love to hear from you! You can book us, as soon as you've got a date in mind. Popular dates include weddings, Christmas work parties, and New Year's Eve. 

We offer three types of ceilidh experience:

Traditional Live Band; Scottish/Irish/English

Solo Caller + recorded music

2 Piece + Caller

3 Piece + Caller

5 Piece + Caller

Electronic; modern pop & trad folk mixed together

DJ Solo Caller

DJ + violin (duo)

DJ + violin + caller/melody 2 (trio)

Country Hoedown / Line Dancing;

American Solo Caller + recorded music

There are many types of ceilidh bands, including those with or without callers, and traditional Scottish wedding music bands.

All our packages include a caller to lead the dances. We also provide our own amplification (PA), travel (within 50 miles of bristol and public liability.

Lighting is included in all packages except solo caller where you can hire this for +£50.

Electronic and DJ packages include extra PA with a extra bass speakers and more lights.

All our equipment is PAT tested

Our ceilidh package costs start from £450 and go up from there, depending on the number of musicians. 

Once we receive a booking enquiry, you will need to sign a booking form and complete a deposit of £250. After which your booking will be confirmed.

The show must go on…Call Me Ceilidh works with many musicians and selects the finest players to step in should anything happen i the run up to the events.

For more information see our booking form for our cancellation policies. We must charge a fee if you cancel within a certain number of days.

Our ceilidh band typically needs 60 minutes to set up and sound check. 

Coombe Lodge

The Orangery,Goldney Hall

Folly Farm Centre

Paintworks

Harbour House Restaurant

Trinity Arts Centre

Westbury Village Hall

Bristol Folk House

Spielman centre

Ashton Court Stadium

Beeses

The Forge, Bristol

The Mount Without

Nailsea Tithe Barn

Clifton Observatory

Aldwick Estate

Barley Wood House

The Old School Room

Clevedon Hall

Berwick Lodge

Winterbourne Medieval Barn

The Elmgrove centre

Aerospace

Old Market Assembly

SS Great Britain 

You only need two guests to get the dancing started but an ideal number of guests would be at least 30. It is a good idea to allow time between your start time on your invitation and the start time of the dancing, because if people do not arrive exactly on time, there may not be enough people ready to start dancing on time.

You will need enough space for dancing, which can be difficult to estimate because dances involve a lot of movement. A good estimate is 1 square meter per person dancing.

A suitable venue.

Anything from a village hall to stately home will do nicely.

Power.

If a sound system is required then we will need access to one standard, 240v three-pin power point.

A theme.

Not essential, but can work very well depending on your venue and audience. An audience.

A ceilidh is a traditional Scottish party where people dance, eat, drink, and listen to Scottish music. It's not necessary to be a good dancer, but it's important to participate. Ceili, Barn Dance or Highland Fling. Originally the word Ceilidh (kay-lee) descended from the Gaelic word for 'gathering' or ‘party’. However, these days when people think of a Ceilidh, they think of a fun filled night of wild dancing, good music and great company! As for the rest: they all mean pretty much the same!

Traditionally the term 'ceilidh' was used in Scotland whilst the term 'ceili' was used in Ireland. The term 'barn dance' can be used to describe both a ceilidh or ceili but is often used to describe dance nights in the rest of the United Kingdom. For the record, holding them in a barn is not compulsory. 

Line dances or line dancing mainly involve dancing on your own where as Hoe down, Barn Dance and Square Dances involve dancing in couples and in sets ranging from 2 couples to 10 couples or more—in Circles, Squares or Longways—numbers don’t really matter as long as there are enough people to fill up your Dancing space.

There's no specific dress code for a ceilidh, but you can conside the following when choosing what to wear:

Comfort

You'll likely get warm dancing, so wear breathable clothing and flat lightweight shoes. Avoid heavy jackets, jumpers, pointy high heels, and heavy boots. 


Event and location

The event and location may determine what to wear. Event organisers may have their own requests.


Formal wear

For a formal ceilidh, women can wear a gown or dressy attire, and men can wear a kilt outfit with a Prince Charlie jacket and bo tie. Men can also wear smart trousers and a waistcoat.

Traditional Scottish dress

A great way to honour Scottish culture and history, traditional Scottish dress includes kilts, jackets, sporrans, tartan skirts, shawls, and brooches for women. You can rent traditional Scottish attire from shops and online.

That's partly up to you. We've done dances as short as ten minutes, or as long as five hours, but the ideal is obviously somewhere i between. If you consider that a single dance takes around 15-20 minutes to explain and then perform, you really want at least four dances in a set.

They generally involve moving around a bit and ending back up where you started, then a progression (if there is one), which is where the dancers move round so they're dancing with different people or in different positions.

The caller is expected to tell the band what kind of tune he/she wants for the next dance. If you're all working from scratch, a possible rule of thumb is to use jigs by default, polkas or reels as a change from jigs, hornpipes for anything that is to be stepped, and reels where a smooth walk is wanted.

Square dances are part of a broad spectrum of dances known by various names: country dances, traditional dances, folk dances, barn dances, ceilidh dances, contra dances, Playford dances, etc.

Barn dancing started in England and Scotland in the 1860's, where peasants mimicked the sumptuous dances of their superiors inside barns. The barn was used to celebrate special community events like holidays, as well as weddings and the construction of the barn.

1- The Gay Gordons: A classic and easy to learn dance, perfect for beginners. It involves holding hands and moving around in a circle.

2- The Dashing White Sergeant: Another classic dance, where dancers form a line and weave in and out of each other.

1- The Gay Gordons: A classic and easy to learn dance, perfect for beginners. It involves holding hands and moving around in a circle.

2- The Dashing White Sergeant: Another classic dance, where dancers form a line and weave in and out of each other.

3- The Eightsome Reel: A more complex dance that involves eight people dancing in a set pattern.

4- Strip the Willow: A fast-paced dance that involves partners spinning each other around in a circular motion.

5- The Canadian Barn Dance: A lively and energetic dance that involves partners swinging each other around.

6- The Flying Scotsman: A fun dance that involves couples dancing around in a circle and switching partners.

7- The Cumberland Square Eight: A popular dance that involves four couples dancing in a square pattern.

8- The St. Bernard’s Waltz: A slower-paced dance that involves couples dancing in a circular motion.

9- The Military Two-Step: A fast-paced dance that involves partners moving around in a circular motion.

10- The Virginia Reel: A fun and energetic dance that involves couples dancing in a line and weaving in and out of each other

A ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, featuring lively folk music and fun, interactive group dances. Originating from Scotland and Ireland, ceilidhs are popular at weddings, festivals, and social events. The atmosphere is light-hearted, and our caller will explain each dance, ensuring everyone—young or old, experienced or beginner—can join in and have fun. The music is typically performed by a live band, making the energy infectious and keeping the event dynamic.

A wedding ceilidh is the perfect way to bring all your guests together, ensuring everyone, regardless of age or background, can enjoy the celebration. Ceilidhs break the ice and get everyone onto the dance floor, from your youngest cousins to your grandparents. The dances are easy to follow, and our caller will keep things moving smoothly. Whether you want to start your reception with a ceilidh or finish the night off with one, it is guaranteed to create unforgettable memories.

Inject some fun into your office party with a ceilidh! Ceilidhs are a fantastic way to get colleagues to mix, laugh, and work together in a relaxed, informal setting. It is perfect for team building, as the group dances encourage collaboration and interaction. Whether you are celebrating a company milestone or just want to reward your team, a ceilidh will have everyone up on their feet, breaking the usual corporate mold.

A ceilidh party is a brilliant way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or any social gathering. The inclusive nature of ceilidhs means everyone can get involved, regardless of dancing ability. With lively music and easy-to-learn dances, your guests will be laughing, mingling, and creating memories from the first note to the last dance. It's a unique alternative to traditional parties, guaranteed to get everyone in the spirit of celebration.