Matheson, Catherine M.2018-06-292018-06-292005-05Matheson, C. (2005) Festivity and sociability : a study of a Celtic music festival, Tourism, Culture and Communication, vol. 5, pp. 149-163.1098-304Xhttp://www.cognizantcommunication.com/https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/59This article centers on authenticity and social relations within a commodified Celtic music festival framework. The impact of the tourism commodification process upon environs and culture has generated a veritable plethora of studies, the precursor to this being MacCannell's theorization of the leisure class. In an attempt to explain the meaning and significance of social relations within a festival context, specific attention is paid to Maffesoli's theory of the neo-tribe and emotional community. Drawing upon empirical data from a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with festival producers and consumers of a Celtic music festival in Scotland, this article challenges Maffesoli's dismissal of the relevance of class grouping and suggests dimensions of the backstage region of festival social space: first, through participating in real culture in an intimate environment; second, by playing an instrument or singing; third, through the strengthening of social networks. It is argued that the tourism commodification process is resisted to attain authentic social relations through the backstage region of social space.149-163FestivalsAuthenticitySocial relationsarticle