Celtic Classic is back in Historic Downtown Bethlehem September 25-27, 2026. If you’re planning to head down for the Highland Games, the pipe bands, or just the food, here’s the Celtic Classic Bethlehem hours breakdown along with parking and a few food picks worth making time for.
We got to see the real thing for ourselves on a trip to Ireland back in 2009, including the Cliffs of Moher pictured above. It’s part of why we always look forward to Celtic Classic bringing a taste of that culture right here to Bethlehem every year.
Celtic Classic Bethlehem Hours by Day
Friday, September 25 kicks off at 4:00 PM with music on the Grand Pavilion and Tavern in the Glen stages. There’s also a VIP reception and the Challenge Caber competition out on Highland Field. Closing time for Friday wasn’t published as of this writing. It’s worth a quick check of the Musikfest app or celticfest.org closer to the date if you’re planning a late night.
Saturday, September 26 is the biggest day of the festival. Things start early with the Youth Fiddle Competition at 9:00 AM, and the Tartan Parade steps off at 11:30 AM. Highland Games athletic events like hammer throw, stone toss, and caber toss run throughout the day. Five stages of music and dance run well into the evening.
Sunday, September 27 winds things down with a full day of entertainment. Highland Field athletic competitions run 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and the Grand Pavilion has music and dance from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Celtic Heritage Hollow, the kids and cultural area, runs 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Parking and Shuttle Options
If you’d rather skip hunting for street parking in Downtown Bethlehem, the festival runs a shuttle from 1525 Valley Center Parkway. It’s off Schoenersville Road, with signs once you’re off Route 22. It runs every 20-30 minutes, $6 a day for anyone 6 and up, so it’s worth building into your Celtic Classic Bethlehem hours plans if you’d rather not drive downtown. Hours are Saturday 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM only. There’s no Friday shuttle, so plan on driving straight downtown that evening.
For parking closer to the festival grounds, a handful of public lots and garages sit within a few blocks. 75 W. North Street, the Walnut Street garage and lot, and Main Street Commons all run around $20-25 a day. Johnston Park runs similarly, while 55 E. Broad Street is a few blocks farther out but the best value at $15.
Food Worth Tracking Down
The festival spreads its food vendors across three areas: the Grand Courtyard, The Glen, and the Highland Concourse. Grumpy’s BBQ Roadhouse and Aw Shucks (seasoned corn) are Grand Courtyard staples. Heidi’s Strudel and Bacon on a Stick hold down The Glen. Theo’s Gyros and Karl Ehmers Sausages are worth the walk over to the Highland Concourse. Pacing yourself around the Celtic Classic Bethlehem hours above makes it easy to hit all three without missing a stage.
One of our traditions is grabbing soup in a bread bowl from a vendor near the Grand Pavilion. We especially love it when the end of September brings cooler or rainy weather, which happens some years. There’s something about watching the shows under that big tent with a warm bowl in hand. It’s one of our favorite parts of the weekend.
Irish Dance Performances Worth Catching
If Irish dance is what you’re there for, the O’Grady Quinlan Academy performs at multiple stages across all three days. Friday, they’re at the Ice House at 5:30 PM. Saturday brings three shows: Tavern in the Glen at 1:00 PM and Ice House at 3:00 PM. The Grand Pavilion show follows at 4:30 PM. Sunday has them at Tavern in the Glen at 11:00 AM and again at 3:15 PM. They close out the day at the Grand Pavilion at 5:00 PM. We always try to catch at least one of the Grand Pavilion shows ourselves. It’s part of our own Celtic Classic Bethlehem hours every year.
Bethlehem Is Worth Exploring Beyond the Festival Grounds
Celtic Classic draws well over 100,000 people into Downtown Bethlehem over the weekend. The businesses along Main Street and throughout the South Side see that traffic too, not just the festival grounds. If you’ve got time between stages, it’s worth wandering a block or two off the festival footprint. As a Lehigh Valley business ourselves, we always like seeing the full run of Celtic Classic Bethlehem hours bring people into the city. It’s good for everyone downtown, not just the festival grounds. If you want to read more about how we keep local businesses looking their best year round, that’s what we do every day.
We choose local, so should you.
If your Bethlehem business could use a hand keeping things clean before or after a big weekend downtown, we’re happy to talk.
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