Take 50 venders, a handful of stores and a couple of local bands and let them loose along a closed city street.

On Saturday, Arcade Street will smack more of a block party than a downtown side street.

City officials have agreed to close the one-way road for "Downtown 08 Summerfest," which will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"The festival is designed to bring in some more needed notoriety to downtown and the surrounding businesses," said Dale L. Clarke, who has been planning the event since March. "It's going to be utterly fantastic; we're full to capacity."

Mr. Clarke owns the Paddock Boutique and Gift Shop in the neighboring Paddock Arcade.

The businesses in the arcade will be open for the event.

"I think it's great," said Trudy M. Dean, who owns Paddock Coffee House.

The store usually closes by 3:30 p.m. Saturdays, but it will stay open for the festival's entirety.

Mr. Clarke said he's modeled the party after the Black River Fest, which lasted briefly during the early 2000s.

"No one ever steps forward for downtown anymore," he said. "I decided that maybe someone should do something for downtown."

Public Square businesses have felt a pinch this year while the square continues to be rebuilt. Some have limited their hours or closed entirely until construction is completed.

Paddock Arcade building manager Donald G.M. Coon III said he was pleased to see the tenants taking initiative to organize the event.

"It's a great thing for downtown," he said. "Anything that can bring some focus on downtown and the work they've done there is a good thing."

Mr. Clarke said there will be wine tasting, food, a petting zoo, vendors, a ventriloquist and bands.

The Double Barrel Blues Band will play from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and rock band Yikes will perform from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. During intermissions, an acoustic guitarist will perform.

"This is going to be a good ol' street festival," Mr. Clarke said.

Plans for this weekend's festival pale in comparison to the party Mr. Clarke said he will plan for next summer, when he wants to incorporate a car show, cruise-in and poker run into a two-day event.

"We want to get to a facility or get street closures large enough to bring in area implement dealers," he said. "There are a lot of future aspects that would really bring it alive."

Area dealerships would be invited to showcase their all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and RVs.

In case of rain Saturday, vendors will move into the HSBC Bank parking garage. Parking is available at the municipal lot along Stone Street. There is no charge for admission.

The city's bus transportation center is on Arsenal Street, but the festival will not disrupt bus service.