The Common Ground Music Festival has kicked off its second year, and features more stages and a more diverse lineup.

Organizers are hoping to draw larger crowds than last year to Louis H. Adado Riverfront Park, 333 N. Cedar St. at the corner of Saginaw Street in Lansing, for the six-day music extravaganza.

“It’s hectic and busy, but it will be ready,” Malinda Larson, Common Ground spokeswoman, said as the finishing touches were being done to the park Tuesday evening in preparation for a concert by Gladys Knight and the Pips.

This year will feature 20 performers, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, which performs at 9:30 p.m. today, Pat Benatar at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jethro Tull at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Collective Soul at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Grand Funk Railroad at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Eddie Money at 7 p.m. Sunday and Bad Company at 9 p.m. Sunday.

“I enjoy getting out there in front of an audience,” Grand Funk Railroad drummer Don Brewer said. “It amazes me that people come out to hear the music we created years ago.”

Other additions to the festival include a second main stage - a strategy the festival hopes will attract a larger, more diverse audience. While the festival still features classic rock performers like last year, organizers have attempted to attract a larger variety of genres, such as Motown, country and newer rock bands, such as Fuel and Collective Soul, for this series.

After an inaugural year in which organizers lost money despite drawing nearly 50,000 fans, a variety of games and activities should bring in quite a crowd this year.

Of course, the large variety of music on three different stages promises to be the main event. The stages include Ground Zero, a main entertainment stage on the west bank of the Grand River, The Under Ground, another main entertainment stage on the east bank of the river, and the Ground Effects community stage.

The number of stages might make it difficult for people to choose which acts to see, but no matter what type of music people want to see, the entertainers are prepared to perform.

“You do what you can to get to 100 percent, and if you walk offstage with 10 percent left, you feel as though you’ve shortchanged the audience,” Jethro Tull lead singer Ian Anderson said.

The Common Ground Festival will continue through Sunday night. Tickets are $20 in advance or $23 at the gate for single-day admission, or $60 for a six-day pass.