Crowds and Jeeps line the streets during the 2018 Jeep Invasion on Main Street in Butler. This year's event is Friday from 6 to 10 p.m.

The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival is once again holding its popular signature event, the Jeep Invasion, that takes over downtown Butler on Friday.

“It's really amazing to see over 1,000 Jeeps line the streets of downtown Butler and the huge crowds that come out to see them,” said Todd Wagner, president of the Friends of Bantam Jeep Association.

“The Invasion is one of my favorite aspects of the festival because it's like the kick-off for the whole weekend. It is also so great to see how the community of Butler welcomes Jeep enthusiasts to their town.”

For the Invasion, select streets are closed to traffic to welcome more than 15,000 Jeep drivers to downtown.

The Invasion features 1,200 Jeeps varying in model, year and color that are parked in the streets for people to admire.

Parking for the Jeep Invasion begins at 5 p.m. Friday, with the event running from 6 to 10 p.m.

Main Street will come alive during the Invasion with DJs playing throughout the night at select locations and a wide-variety of food vendors along the street between Wayne and Pearl streets.

Parking restrictions will be in effect throughout the day with Main Street and some side streets closing at 3:30 p.m.

For pedestrian safety, police require Jeep owners who take their vehicle downtown to stay in their parking space until 9 p.m. or to park on one of the side streets designated for Jeep parking if they must leave early.

The Jeep Invasion After Party will be from 9 to 11 p.m. at Recon Brewing, 1747 N Main St. Ext.

Parking on these downtown streets will not be permitted after 3:30 p.m. Friday on Main, Cunningham, Jefferson, North, Brady and Penn streets. Parking lots along Main Street will be closed to traffic.Traffic detours will go into effect at 3:30 p.m. when Main Street closes.

Registered participants will be permitted to enter the Jeep Invasion area at the intersections of Main and Wayne streets and at Main and Pearl streets. Participants must have an Invasion dash sign to enter. Volunteers from The Rodfathers of Butler will manage Jeep parking.Those coming downtown to see the Jeeps can park in public lots and city garages. An Invasion map is available on Page 5 of the special Festival Guide insert in today's edition of the Butler Eagle

Shelly Lester of Johnstown takes a photo of the crowd from her Jeep at the Jeep Invasion on Main Street in Butler at last year’s festival.