The Celtic Colours International Festival begins today in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. This festival celebrates the area's inhabitants, including 19th-century settlers who came from Scotland and Ireland. Because of Cape Breton Island's isolation and the lack of outside influences, the culture and traditions of these settlers remained particularly strong. Held when the island's fall colors are most vibrant, the festival has blossomed into a nine-day extravaganza that coincides with the warm red, orange, and yellow autumn foliage.