Billed as the largest free Celtic festival in North America, the Celtic Classic has drawn nearly 300,000 people in past years. Now in its 34th year, the festival did not take place in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Celtic Cultural Alliance is adhering to all federal and state guidelines with respect to the pandemic this year. Festival hours are 4-10 p.m. EST on Sept 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 25, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 26.

Artists slated to perform include Barleyjuice, Blackwater, Celtic Aire (the U.S. Air Force’s Celtic band), Chambless & Muse, Chivalrous Crickets, Emish, Fig for a Kiss, House of Hamill, Seamus Kennedy, Kennedy’s Kitchen, Kilmaine Saints, Moxie Strings, Rogue Diplomats, RUNA, and Gerry Timlin.

Other musical attractions during the weekend include pipe band, fiddle and drum major competitions. Irish dancers from the O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance also will take part in the festivities.

North America’s largest highland games take place during the Celtic Classic for the 14th time. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships feature events that trace their origins back to medieval Scotland; these include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing 16 and 22-pound hammers, and sheaf and caber tossing. Border collie exhibitions, The Showing of the Tartan parade; a Haggis Bowl (in which whoever eats one pound of Scotland’s national dish wins); a Celtic Heritage Hollow featuring children’s activities, Celtic societies and clans tents, blacksmith demonstrations, and cultural competitions; and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

More information on one of the most popular events in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, including daily schedules, may be found at celticfest.org.

Artists slated to perform include Barleyjuice, Blackwater, Brownpenny, Burning Bridget Cleary, Dublin 5, The Elders, Emish, Four Leaf Clovers, Full Set, Glengarry Bhoys, Jamison, Seamus Kennedy, Kilmaine Saints, Long Time Courting, Makem & Spain Brothers, Carl Peterson, Piper’s Request, Poor Angus, RUNA, Slainte, Craig Thatcher & Nyk VanDyk, and Timlin & Kane. Other musical attractions during the weekend include pipe band, fiddle and drum major competitions. Irish dancers from the Irish Stars School of Irish Dance and the O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance also will take part in the festivities, as will several Irish and Irish-American comedians.

North America’s largest highland games take place during the Celtic Classic. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships will include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing 16 and 22-pound hammers, and tossing of the sheaf and caber. Border collie exhibitions, a “Showing of the Tartan” parade, a Guinness “Pour a Perfect Pint” contest, a new children’s tent, instructional contra and ceili dancing, clan tents, and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

The festival grounds are located along the banks of Monocracy Creek and adjacent to downtown Bethlehem’s Main Street shopping area. More information on one of the most popular events in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, including daily schedules, may be found at www.celticfest.org.

North America’s largest highland games take place during the Celtic Classic. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships will include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing a 22-pound hammer, and tossing of the caber. Border collie exhibitions, a “Showing of the Tartan” parade, a haggis eating contest, a whiskey tasting event, a kids craft tent, clan tents, and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

The festival grounds are located along the banks of Monocracy Creek and adjacent to downtown Bethlehem’s Main Street shopping area. More information on one of the most popular events in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, including daily schedules, may be found at www.celticfest.org.

The Celtic Classic also features North America’s largest highland games. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships will include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing a 22-pound hammer, and tossing of the caber. Border collie exhibitions, a “Showing of the Tartan” parade, a haggis eating contest, and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap. A Kids Craft Tent will be in operation on Saturday and Sunday, as will a new family-oriented Celtic Crossroads featuring theatre, dance, painting and film.

The festival grounds are located along the banks of Monocracy Creek and adjacent to downtown Bethlehem’s Main Street shopping area. Hours for the Celtic Classic are 4 to 11 p.m. on Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. For more information on one of the most popular events in the northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, visit www.celticfest.org.

Fronted by spirited and energetic young fiddlers and singers Rose Baldino and Genna Gillespie, and ably backed by Rose’s father Lou on guitar and vocals, with percussionist Peter Trezzi, Burning Bridget Cleary is named for the young woman remembered as the last witch burned in Ireland. In addition to being recognized for its sophomore release, Everything is Alright, the group received the Contemporary Celtic award for its song “Soldier, Soldier,” while “Three Set: Waram Patat/Jean’s Reel/Miss Shepherd/Mason’s Apron” received the award in the Jigs & Reels category. Baldino and Gillespie met eight years ago at a traditional Irish music session in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Both have been first-place winners in the historic Lehigh Valley city’s Celtic Classic fiddle competition and served as judges last September. As previously noted on AcousticMusicScene.com, Burning Bridget Cleary’s live performance was a highlight of last summer’s Philadelphia Folk Festival in this writer’s view.

The following artists also received 2009 Celtic Radio Music Awards:

Enter the Haggis (Celtic Rock) for “Murphy’s Ashes” on the album Gutter Anthems; Celtic Thunder (Traditional and Roots Traditional) for “Caledonia” and “Raggle Taggle Gypsy,” respectively, on the album Act Two; and Jim McRae (Bagpipes) for “The Queen’s Piper Medley” on the album Global Gathering.

Listeners and members of CelticRadio.net, an online radio and social media network, make nominations throughout the year. Based upon listener nominations, ratings, requests, and other radio statistics, three songs in each category were selected for voting by listeners during the first quarter of 2010. A record number of nominations were reportedly received during 2009, while members of Celtic Radio cast a total of 1,379 votes. Winners are inducted into the Celtic Radio Hall of Fame.

The Celtic Classic also features North America’s largest highland games. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships will include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing a 22-pound hammer, and tossing of the caber. Border collie exhibitions, a “Showing of the Tartan” parade, a haggis eating contest, and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

All the activity takes place at the festival grounds along the banks of Monocracy Creek and adjacent to downtown Bethlehem’s Main Street shopping area. Hours for the Celtic Classic are 4 to 11 p.m. on Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. For more information on one of the most popular events in the northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, visit www.celticfest.org.

Editor’s Note: Burning Bridget Cleary certainly captured my attention when I heard them for the first time during a Celtic showcase that was a highlight of this summer’s Philadelphia Folk Festival. I was thoroughly impressed with the fine fiddling, singing, energy and spirit of Rose Baldino and Genna Gillespie. The two teenagers met five years ago at Irish music sessions in Bethlehem and both have been first-place winners in the Celtic Classic fiddle competitions. In Burning Bridget Cleary – named for the young woman remembered as the last witch burned in Ireland — they are joined by Rose’s father Lou, who ably backs them on guitar and vocals. Music also is in Genna’s genes; her parents are founding members of Blackwater, a five-piece band that also plays the Celtic Classic.