Spectators crowd Main Street during the 2016 Jeep Invasion. This year's event, a kick-off for the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, starts at 6 p.m. Friday. Most other festival events are at Cooper's Lake Campground, Worth Township.

The signature event of the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival returns to invade Downtown Butler on Friday.

“The Invasion is really the 'kick-off' event for us here at the festival,” said Patti Jo Lambert, festival director. “It's a great place for Jeepers to see familiar faces and meet new ones as well.

“It's also a great way to see more than 1,000 Jeeps all together.”

The Jeep Invasion, sponsored by Pennzoil, remains a festival favorite that Jeepers and the Butler community look forward to each year, she said.

During the event, select streets are closed to traffic and an array of more than 1,000 Jeeps that range in model, year and color are parked for more than 15,000 people to admire.

Jeep Invasion parking begins at 5 p.m., the event officially kicks off at 6 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m.

DJs will be playing throughout the night at select points on Main Street and a wide-variety of food vendors will be located along Main Street between Diamond Park and Brady Street.

Parking restrictions will be in effect throughout the day and Main Street and select side streets will close at 3 p.m.

Back again this year are stars of CNBC's “The Car Chasers,” Jeff Allen and Meg Bailey, who will be with Pennzoil at the Courthouse to greet Jeep enthusiasts, sign autographs, take pictures and participate in various aspects of the event.

Pennzoil will also be offering simulator experiences for Invasion attendees.

Parking is prohibited after 3 p.m. in all alleys adjacent to Main Street in addition to these streets on Friday:- Main Street;- Cunningham Street;- Jefferson Street;- North Street;- Brady Street;- Penn Street, along with select parking lots along Main Street.Traffic detours will go into effect at 3 p.m. when Main Street closesThe Jeep Invasion will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.<h3>Getting downtown</h3>Registered participants will be permitted to enter the Jeep Invasion area at the intersections of Main Street and Wayne Street and at Main Street and Pearl Street.Participants must have an Invasion dash sign to enter.Volunteers from The Rodfather's of Butler will manage Jeep parking.Those planning to come downtown to see the Jeeps can park in public lots and city garage indicated on the Invasion Map.<h3>Shopping</h3>Festival goers will have the opportunity to check out this year's festival merchandise featuring many new styles of T-shirts, hats and more. The merchandise store will be located in Diamond Park.<h3>Invasion Map</h3>A map showing the streets affected by parked Jeeps, public parking lots, food vendors, music, Festival merchandise and more can be found on the Jeep Festival website, www.Bantam.JeepFestival.com.

Halee Tilson and her father, Nathan, look over a 1967 Jeepster at the 2016 Jeep Invasion on Main Street. Jeeps will again line the streets of Butler Friday.