Portlaoise hosts an international celebration of traditional and folk music.
Musicians on the streets of Portlaoise will entertain the thousands of visitors coming for the World Fleadh Festival.
While The Electic Picnic is the most popular music festival in County Laois , organisers of the World Fleadh predict around 50,000 visitors to the town.
It's putting on show some of Ireland's best known international performers.
Eric Cunningham, World Fleadh Director, says that the focus of the festival is on promoting the best professional Irish traditional and Celtic music acts in the country.
Acts performing at the festival include Brian Kennedy, Brian Flemming, Sharon Shannon, Seán Keane and Damien Dempsey.
Singer-songwriter Seán Keane says there will be a hell of a buzz in Portlaoise for the weekend. For Damien Dempsey, this is his first time performing at a World Fleadh. He says there will be a lot of dancing, some historic tunes and a bit of craic.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 3 August 2008. The reporter is Ciaran Mullooly.
