Irish Fest, the largest Celtic cultural festival in North America, has released its 2011 lineup and schedule.

The festival, as always, takes place at the Henry Maier Festival Park and runs Aug. 18-21.

The lineup this year focuses on the Irish counties Derry and Donegal, and many of the new acts were hand-picked on a trip to Ireland last fall. Among those making their Irish Fest debut are Fidil, the Henry Girls, Nodlaig Brolly, Goitse, Fiach and Outside Track.

Many fan favorites return to Irish Fest, including Gaelic Storm and Red Hot Chili Pipers, who perform on three of the four nights. Other returning artists include Altan, Kintra, Different Drums, Tom Sweeney, Scythian, the Elders and Seamus Kennedy.

Throughout its four-day run, Irish Fest will host more than 100 acts.

"Every year we bring in a diverse lineup of artists that cover traditional, Celtic rock, folk, singer/songwriter, and contemporary styles," said Jane Anderson, executive director of Milwaukee Irish Fest.

"People may not realize that we even bring in 'Riverdance'-like productions such as 14-member performance band, Kintra. There's truly something for everybody."

Tickets for Irish Fest are $15, but a number of promotions for discounted or free admission run though the weekend. For more information about Irish Fest, including admission promotions, check IrishFest.com.