In Hanceville, Saturday isn’t just about taking to the streets to celebrate the city’s Irish history. It’s also about shaking off the cobwebs of having nowhere to go and little to do; about getting together in the great outdoors for the first time in more than a year.

Streets in the city’s historic downtown will close to traffic and welcome pedestrians today, as the 4th annual Hanceville Irish Festival kicks off a day of music, mingling, street shopping and streets eats.

Even as organizers remain mindful of ongoing public health precautions and encourage guests to be prudent in gauging their personal risk, they’re also just happy to be hosting an event — especially one that’s attracted greater interest than its three predecessors.

“We have really good participation from vendors and great sponsorship this year,” said organizer Nolan Bradford. “We have more vendors lined up this year than we’ve ever had in the past.”

The festival will close down the city blocks fronted by Commercial Street and Bangor Avenue, setting the stage for a day of music and dancing that showcases Irish-themed talent from across north Alabama. Things kick off officially at 9 a.m. and last until 5 p.m., with the first musical act — The O’Toole Brothers — set to get the day started at 10 a.m.

From there, Dave Bolling will perform at 11:15 a.m., followed by The OFaolain Academy of Irish Dance at 12:30 p.m. Black Market Haggis will perform at 1:!5 p.m., with A Shamrock in Kudzu closing things out from 3-4 p.m.

As always, the festival is free to attend. Visit the event’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hancevilleirishfest/ for more information.