The Celtic Connections roots and traditional music festival recorded 100,000 visits this January.
Around 100 concerts at the annual Glasgow music festival were sold out and 9000 children from across Scotland were part of its education programme.
Gross ticket sales came to £1.5m for the festival, which had the Sunday Herald as a media partner.
Donald Shaw, artistic director of the festival, said: “Celtic Connections 2016 has been as much an emotional as a musical journey.
"We have had raucous concerts where the crowd has been literally jumping, we have had moments of calm, where the voice of a single artist held an audience spellbound.
"We have celebrated tradition, and broken new ground."
He added: "And throughout every part of this amazing festival we have sought to bring together musicians and traditions from across the world and to share the inspirational results with our fantastic Celtic Connections audience.
"Over eighteen days there have been around 300 events, and throughout every day thousands of unique moments, some shared, many truly personal. It has been incredible.”
Sold out events included Bixiga 70, Lucinda Williams, John Grant, Skipinnish & Friends, Jason Isbell, Skerryvore, Bwani Junction, Rhiannon Giddens, BEMIS celebrates Burns, Gathering Stream, The Alt, Daimh, Islay Night, Dreamers Circus and Fara.
The festival said in a statement that highlights included "the legendary Kris Kristofferson performing five songs as part of a world premiere collaboration, ending with Me and Bobby McGee, in an emotionally charged atmosphere in the Main Auditorium of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall at Roaming Roots Revue.
"The backlit silhouettes of the string quartet during Lau’s The Bell That Never Rang sent a tingle down many a spine."
Councillor Archie Graham, chair of Glasgow Life, said: "For eighteen amazing days Glasgow has welcomed musicians and audiences from across the world for Celtic Connections 2016.
"The virtuosity and energy of the musicians have dazzled music lovers at venues across the city.
"The festival’s wide ranging Education Programme has also given school children across the city fantastic opportunities to learn and enjoy Celtic music thanks to performances and workshop led by leading musicians
"Celtic Connections 2016 has been a triumph."
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