The fourth annual World Concertina Day, sponsored once again by the International Concertina Association, will be on February 6, 2025, the anniversary of the birth of Sir Charles Wheatstone. We encourage local groups and individual players around the world to put on your own concertina-related events, as happened on the previous World Concertina Days. The ICA itself plans to put together another of our annual international video concerts and to organize another participatory online event, as we did for World Concertina Day 2024.
New WCD 2025 merchandise (including our new concertina octopus design) is now available here!
Events for World Concertina Day 2025
New video recordings
ICA’s fourth annual WCD international video concert showcasing players from many countries. Now available for viewing!
Part one: Rachel Mahony, Vincent Powell, Juliet Woodin & Janet Thomas, Jutta Tigges, Steve Wilson, Takayuki Yagi, Niki Fliri & Nina Dietrich, Dave Ball, Doug Watt, and Rosewood
Part two: Millicent & Tristan White, Gaylen Haas, Tim Collins, Dick & Sabina Glasgow, Willie Botha, Matt Heumann, Luke Vincent, Rick Epping, Jim Besser, and Gary Coover
New videorecordings made for the occasion from the Central Scotland Concertina Group, DC Ambiance, Kettle Bridge Concertinas, Ryo Sato, mirimalindë, and Steve Turner. We put them all together, along with the 2025 International Concert video, in a playlist on the ICA YouTube channel.
ICA event (online)
ICA’s third online free worldwide concertina players gathering on Zoom. Saturday 8 February, 7 pm UK time. Open to all, with pre-registration required. Registration now open here!
Other events
Multi-day “concertina convergence”, Friday 31 January to Sunday 2 February, Yackandandah, Victoria, Australia. Details here!
West Mids Concertina Band afternoon, Saturday 1 February, Brierley Hill, UK. Details here.
San Francisco Bay Area & Northern California concertina gathering, Saturday February 1, near Berkeley, CA, USA. Details here.
Jam session with Jim Besser, Mary Roth and Randy Stein, Sunday February 2, Washington, DC, USA. Invitation only due to limited space.
Special themed evening celebrating the concertina, Wednesday February 5, Brisbane, Australia. Details here.
Concert with Alex Wade, Rob Say, Stephen Fry and Vic Gammon, Thursday 6 February, Hexham, Northumberland, UK. Details here.
Acoustic night with a concertina theme, Thursday 6 February, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, UK. Details here.
Kettle Bridge Concertina Band concert for a local active retirement group, Friday 7 February, near Maidstone, Kent, UK. Video here!
Concertina jam and concert, Saturday February 8, Chimacum, WA USA. Details here.
Concertina event for all players or interested persons, held by Forestinas Concertina Band, Sunday 9 February, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK. Details here.
Ill-Tempered Concertinas? A lecture-recital by Dave Townsend, Saturday 15 February, Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Details here.
Concertina group session and self-help group for players of all types of concertina and playing level, held by Chiltinas Concertina Players, Sunday 16 February, Maulden (near Bedford), UK. Details here.
Additional events will be posted as information comes in.
Plan a WCD event of your own!
The ICA encourages everyone with an interest in the concertina to participate by organizing or taking part in an event in your local area or online on or near World Concertina Day on February 6.
Some possibilities:
- Gatherings of concertina players
- In-person or online public concert performances by concertina groups or individual performers. Online events could also be pre-recorded and posted online on the day.
- Events such as “concertina flash mobs” that lend themselves to social media publicity and local media interest
- Live workshop events featuring concertinas
- Local or national radio/TV interviews by concertina people
- Display or demonstration of the concertina at your local museum, library or community center
- Sharing a recording of yourself or telling your social media friends about your interest in the concertina
- ….or anything else you can think of! Take a look at what happened on World Concertina Day in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
We would be happy to use ICA’s communication channels to help you publicize your event. We can also provide a World Concertina Day logo to use in your event publicity. However, please note that the ICA cannot provide funding for your event or accept liability in connection with it.
If you would like to take part, have ideas, or would like to discuss any aspect of World Concertina Day, feel free to contact us at WCD@concertina.org.
The World Concertina Day logo may be used for promotional purposes and on official merchandise, as agreed with the ICA. If you are interested in using the logo, email us at WCD@concertina.org to request permission for use, and describe your purpose for using it. If you receive permission, we can email you a copy of the logo.