MUSKEGON, MI - The Michigan Irish Music Festival got off to a green- and orange-clad start on Thursday evening.

With just one music stage open for the first night of the 18th annual festival, the only shortage was space under the tent as people poured into Heritage Landing downtown Muskegon on Thursday, Sept. 14.

Attendees stomped and clapped along to music from Tallymoore, Seamus Kennedy and The Elders as they got into the spirit of the Irish festival. All three acts will perform multiple times throughout the weekend.

More than 20 music acts and a slew of Irish food, drink and merchandise will highlight the 4-day festival, which continues through Sunday, Sept. 17.

Tickets are available at the Heritage Landing box office for $15 on Friday and Sunday, and $20 Saturday. Four-day passes are $40. Children 12 and younger enter for free.

Things will really get going Friday with performances by We Banjo 3, The Moxie Strings and others throughout the evening. The Blarney Stage will feature "How to speak Gaelic" at 5:45 p.m. and "Irish Myths and Folklore" at 7:30 p.m.

The Highland Games will highlight activities on Saturday. The competition takes place from 11 a.m. to about 5 p.m. at the Dingle Peninsula. The games include male and female athletes competing in stone throw, hammer toss, sheaf and the popular caber toss.

There will also be a Highland Games demonstration at 5:45 p.m. Friday at the Dingle Peninsula.

Sure to draw a crowd Saturday is the Celtic Beard Bout set for 7:45 p.m. at the Galway Stage. A Michigan man with a fiery red beard who recently received a second place award at the World Beard and Mustache Championships in Austin is one known entrant.

The Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be another Saturday highlight. The organization will add five names to its hall of fame at noon at the Galway Stage as it celebrates its fifth anniversary.

On Sunday, visitors can meet - and pet - the dog breeds that hail from the Emerald Isle from noon-4 p.m. at the Dingle Peninsula. Owners and breeders will be on hand to help visitors learn more about the canines and their attributes.