Residents relax and listen to music in Butler's Diamond Park during last year's Butler Fall Festival. The 2017 festival took place on a resplendent autumn day.

Organizers are hoping Saturday's Butler Fall Festival, the last major downtown event of the year, will attract a large crowd as it has in past years.

“It's been good. The last few years we've been averaging 20,000 to 30,000 people,” said Dean Selfridge, festival committee president.

Main Street will be closed from Penn Street to Wayne Street for the festival, which begins at 11 a.m.

Four local rock 'n' roll bands will take turns performing from noon to 4:30 p.m. on a stage on Jefferson Street adjacent to Butler Brew Works. Six local acoustic bands will play from noon to 5 p.m. in Diamond Park.

“It's a lot more laid back at the park than it is at the stage,” said Don Shearer, who is in charge of entertainment for the festival. “They both start at noon. Everybody will be playing for an hour.”

He said the local bands can match any nationally known band.

“People aren't aware of the talent we have in the area. I'd put the local music talent here against any national talent any day,” Shearer said.

A car show will be held between Brady and Pearl streets. People wishing to display their rides must arrive before 11 a.m.

The “Kids Zone” in the city's north parking lot adjacent to Peoples Gas will feature bounce houses, balloon art, a petting zoo, barrel train, games and crafts.

Portable skateboard ramps will be set up and experienced skateboarders will be there to teach children some tricks.

“The Kids Zone is bigger this year than it was last year. We have different bouncy houses and we're having a portable skate park with ramps,” Selfridge said.

Many food, arts and crafts vendors will have booths set up in the middle of Main Street between Diamond and North streets. The booths will face Main Street businesses, which were encouraged to stay open during the event, Selfridge said.

After the festival, a concert to raise money for next year's festival is being held in Kelly Automotive Park beginning at 7 p.m.

Tickets cost $10 each to see Mean Street, a Van Halen tribute band, and High and Dry, a Def Leppard tribute band. The concert includes a cruise-in.

“It's a riding cruise-in. Cars and bikes can park on the field,” Selfridge said.

He said this is the 40th year for the event, which started out as the Ethnic Festival.