A huge citywide event will take over downtown this weekend with music, food, arts and crafts, races and so much more.

“It’s remarkable, I think, the number of things we have going on at the same time,” RiverFest board president Christy Pecanty said.

The 29th Annual RiverFest Music and Arts Festival held Saturday, April 16, will include an arts and crafts show, outside activities on Washington Street, the Diamond Jacks Rhythm Run and a number of bands playing on two stages Friday and Saturday night.

“There’s lots of food and lots of entertainment going on at the same time. There are children’s events. I think there’s a bull ride,” Pecanty said.

Once all the daytime activities are complete, it will be time for the music festival starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday night on two stages. The north stage is across from The Mad Baker, 119 Washington St. The south stage is located near The Valley, 1423 Washington St.

“It’s the same place every year,” Pecanty said.

Saturday night’s headliner is TK Soul, and Friday night’s headliner is Parmalee. Other performers include The Chill, Sheriff Reno Hamilton, Gillis Silo and many more.

“The south stage actual finishes before the headliners go on the north stage,” Pecanty said.

Parmalee will be performing in Vicksburg for the first time ever, guitarist Matt Thomas said.

“Hopefully we’ll have some time to hang out during the day and enjoy what’s going on and check things out,” Thomas said adding they might try to fit in a fishing trip.

The group’s new single “Roots” will be out May 2. Thomas describes their sound as three-part harmony with guitars comprising rock and country influences.

“I feel like we got our own sound,” Thomas said.

The band was created in 2001 and is made up of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas, their cousin Barry Knox and friend Josh McSwain.

“Parmalee is one of only three groups since 2001 to earn three Top 10 hits from their debut album,” Jessica Pangrazio, associate publicist, said in a press release, adding Paramalee was nominated for “New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year” at the 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards.

The gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person, per night and can be purchased at riverfestms.com, at the gate or at Paper Plus, 1318 Washington St.

“There’s not a lot of places where you can go and watch this many bands in one night for $10,” Pecanty said.

The Diamond Jacks River Run will be held Saturday morning in conjunction with RiverFest. A 5K run, 5K walk and 1 mile fun run will start at 8 a.m.

This year the race will have a new route taking Chambers, Cherry, Vicklan, Belmont, Washington and South streets.

“We changed it since last year we had it going down East Avenue and everybody complained East Avenue was a little tough on them because it’s a big hill,” director Angie Wilkinson said. “We’ve got it all straightened out now so hopefully everybody will love it.”

Registration is $25 for adults and $20 for children. Applications can be found on the Diamond Jacks Rhythm Run event page on Facebook and raceroster.com. The first 350 receive a T-shirt.

“We’re hoping for 350, if not more,” Wilkinson said. “We had a lot more than that last year.”

Packet pickup will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Diamond Jacks Hotel and from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Medical Clinic on Adams Street.

A free arts and crafts show will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday around City Hall, 1401 Walnut St. Kettle corn, candles, wooden toys, hand crafted bird houses, jewelry, yard art, homemade specialty food items and wood working signs are all the types of items available for purchase at the show.

“We still have vendors submitting applications,” RiverFest board secretary Ashley Tankesly said.

An activity area will be set up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on Washington Street and led by Vicksburg Main Street executive director Kim Hopkins. Some of the family friendly activities include classic tractors, woodcarving with Burt Fleming, cartoon drawings by Ricky Nobile, a birds and reptiles show with Percy King and so much more.

Local dance organizations and karate clubs will perform throughout the day, Rebecca Sigh, assistant director of the Vicksburg Main Street Program said. The Vicksburg Farmers Market will also be open for business Saturday.

A 14-person RiverFest committee has volunteered their time to make this yearly event possible with the help of local sponsors like the city of Vicksburg, the Vicksburg Main Street Program and the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“RiverFest is a fully sponsored and volunteer event,” Pecanty said.