The 39th year of “Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival,” the Lehigh Valley celebration of all things Irish, Scottish and Welsh, continues through Sept. 27 on Main Street, under the Hill to Hill Bridge and in Sand Island’s Charles A. Brown Ice House, Bethlehem.

The festival, presented by the Celtic Cultural Alliance, is free to attend and includes the familiar elements of food, drink, games, activities and entertainment that have drawn three-day attendance approaching 300,000 in recent years.

“Celtic Classic” began at 4 p.m. Sept. 25 with Irish singer and comedian Seamus Kennedy performing in the Ice House and Lehigh Valley acoustic Celtic folk band Fig For a Kiss at the Tavern in the Glen stage under the Hill to Hill Bridge.

In all, the festival will offer 15 performers giving 55 concerts on five stages throughout the weekend. Familiar headliners include Emish, Kilmaine Saints, Seamus Kennedy and Gerry Timlin.

Also Sept. 25 was the annual Haggis Bowl eating competition at 5:15 p.m. at Highland Field. The person who eats a pound of Scotland’s national dish the fastest will be crowned Celtic Classic Haggis Eating Champion.

That was followed at 5:45 p.m. with the start of the 22nd year that Celtic Classic has hosted the U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships, which bring the Top 10-ranked professional Highland Games athletes in the country.

After the popular caber challenge, the games kick off in force at 10 a.m. Sept. 26 on Highland Field. The games, with such contests as the hammer throw, stone throw for height and distance, and sheaf and caber tosses, continue at 10 a.m. Sept. 27.

Highland Field has free seating on small bleachers on both sides.

Sheep-herding border collies are shown at 6:15 p.m. Sept. 25, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26 and 5:30 p.m. Sept. 27 on Highland Field.

The festival will have 45 retail merchants, most of them returnees, selling Celtic goods.

And 24 food vendors will offer Irish fare such as shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage, as well as area favorites such as Heaven on a Bun, Grumpy’s BBQ Roadhouse, MMG Concessions and Desserts, Heidi’s Strudel, Theo’s Gyros, Aw Shucks and Karl Ehmers Sausages.

Merchants and vendors will accept cash, credit and debit.

On Sept. 26, the popular Showing of the Tartan Parade, featuring clans and societies, competing pipe bands and the Liberty, Freedom and Bangor Area high school bands, step off from Bethlehem City Hall at 11:30 a.m. to Highland Field, followed by opening ceremonies.

Back again are the popular whiskey master class and tasting events, noon-4 p.m. Sept. 26 and 27, offering six selections in The Whiskey Tent next to Celtic Heritage Hollow.

Heritage Hollow will again be in Colonial Industrial Quarter, with offerings for children, families and all festival attendees.

Also back are the popular Irish Soda Bread Muffin Baking Contest at 10 a.m. Sept. 26 and the Celtic poetry contest at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27. There will be a youth fiddle workshop at 10 a.m. Sept. 26 and history and culture presentations.

The annual Youth Fiddle Competition is 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Ice House. Fiddlers in two divisions, up to age 13 and ages 14-18, perform Celtic fiddling styles, including Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Shetland, Orkney and Galician.

There is a massed band presentation at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 26 and 4:30 p.m. Sept. 27 on Highland Field.

The festival closes with a performance by festival favorite Celtic rock band Kilmaine Saints at 6 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Grand Pavilion.

There is no parking along streets surrounding the festival. There are seven parking lots and garages: W. North Street and two West Walnut Street parking garages and lots; the Main Street Commons deck and lot; the Johnston Park lot along York Road, and the 55 E. Broad Street parking lot.

The Celtic Classic Shuttle will deliver patrons from 1525 Valley Center Parkway, Bethlehem, to the festival grounds 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sept. 26 and 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Sept 27 with runs every 20-30 minutes.

Information: https://celticfest.org/