document: As the 18-day festival of traditional and roots music came to a close in Glasgow, they said 176 out of 222 ticketed events were sold out.
  More than 110,000 people attended festival events which saw 2,375 musicians from 50 countries perform.
  Artistic director Donald Shaw said: "The past 18 days have been exhilarating and unforgettable."
  He said: "From the intimate intensity of Laura Marling accompanied for the first time by a full orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, to a Ceilidh led by Aidan Moffat.
  "From the stunning virtuosity of an evening of maestros of stringed instruments from Brazil, India and the US dazzling the audience with their skills, to Tryst which saw 10 specially-commissioned new pieces for pipes.
  "One of the many true joys of Celtic Connections is that within our tradition of Celtic music and international collaborations, we do not think about creative boundaries.
  "Instead, we present on our stages some of the most brilliant musicians working today and explore the richness and diversity of the music we are celebrating."
  He added: "The journey we have been on through Celtic Connections 2017 has shown the power of live music to connect with individual lives and to resonate with the wider world in which we all live, and we are already looking forward to presenting Celtic Connections in 2018, in what is going to be a very special 25th anniversary year."
summary: More than three-quarters of shows at this year's Celtic Connections were sold out, according to organisers.