Folk festival of the week: Celtic Connections, various venues, Glasgow

Spotlight England showcases six English folk artists, including Bella Hardy

Celtic Connections has built its reputation over 20 years as one of the great folk and roots festivals any time, anywhere.

For those heading to Glasgow between Thursday and 3 February, there's a huge choice of music to choose from, embracing the best of Scottish, Irish, European, American and Canadian roots and traditional music.

Spotlight England showcases six English folk artists, including Sam Carter, Lucy Ward, Bella Hardy and Bellowhead, to demonstrate English's folk's strength and vitality amid the richness of the Celtic traditions.

Highlights are too numerous to mention, but from Bulgarian choirs to Saharan soul, from newcomers like Sam Lee or Sarah Jarosz to veterans such as Battlefield Band or Mulatu Astatke, and with specialist workshops, the BBC Folk Awards concert and Transatlantic Sessions to sink into, Glasgow is the place to be to bathe in a great big sea of sound.

(0141 353 8000; celticconnections.com) Thur to 3 Feb