Ohio Celtic Festival moving to Civic Center

This year’s Ohio Celtic Festival will take place Sept. 20-22 at Mentor Civic Center.

This year’s Ohio Celtic Festival, featuring more than 150 musicians, singers, bagpipe bands and entertainers from around the world will take place Sept. 20-22 at Mentor Civic Center.

The festival’s musical lineup will include The Screaming Orphans, Padraig Stevens with Leo Moran of the Saw Doctors, Off Kilter, The American Rogues and Mary’s Lane. Returning due to popular demand will be Colm Keegan from Celtic Thunder, Donál Clancy & Rory Makem and the Narrowbacks. New to this year’s festival are The Byrne Brothers and Gaelic Brew.

Along with national and international acts, Northeast Ohio Irish music acts will include The New Barleycorn, Brigid Cross, No Strangers Here, The Mad Macs and Andrew McManus.

There will also be championship pipe bands and Irish dancers.

The festival is selling advance tickets online through Eventbrite for its whiskey tastings, sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey and Caskmate. The tasting workshops will highlight whiskey crafting history and processes. Seating is limited, with any remaining tickets to be sold at the event.

There will be inflatables, activities, magic shows and more.

Rounding out the festival will be a host of vendors with an array of foods as well as Celtic merchants selling hand-crafted jewelry, pottery and embroi- dered fashions.

Event hours are 5 to 11 p.m., Sept. 20; noon to 11:30 p.m., Sept. 21; and noon to 8 p.m., Sept. 22. Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Sept. 22.

Ticket pricing and other information is available at www.ohiocelticfest.com. Kids under age 12 are admitted free with a paying adult. For updates, entertainment schedules and additional information, visit www. ohiocelticfest.com. The Mentor Civic Center at 8500 Civic Center Blvd.

THE NEWS-HERALD FILE Mad Macs performs at the 2018 Ohio Celtic Festival. They’ll be back at this year’s event, set for Sept. 20-22 at Mentor Civic Center.