The streets of Old Hilliard will be filled with music, food and artwork Saturday, Sept. 8, during the Old Hilliardfest Art and Street Fair.

"It's a great event for the whole family," said Jamie Hevener, co-manager of the festival.

The event is expected to draw about 5,000 people, Hevener said.

The annual festival that includes an arts show and a car show is in its 11th year, but the event has been held for 27 years in one incarnation or another.

It originated as Old Hilliard Day and was held on a section of Main Street in Old Hilliard. Since then, it has been a two-day event and relocated once to the Franklin County Fairgrounds, but has always been held the second weekend in September. Sponsors and organizers, and the formal name of the event, have likewise changed during the past 27 years.

This year's festival, while reduced to a single day, has new hours.

The day's activities begin at 9 a.m. with the Old Hilliardfest Dash for Kids, presented by the Columbus Roadrunners Club and benefitting Girls on the Run of Franklin County.

The race distances are 100 yards, 200 yards and 1 mile. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and there is a $2 entry fee.

The arts and street fair officially will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. An After Hours event has been scheduled from 5 to 11 p.m.

The arts fair component of the festival features more than 50 juried exhibitors and includes paintings, sculpture, body art, textile art, jewelry and photography.

A new feature this year will be demonstrations by such artists as Sawdust by Jake, Paint That, Tabatha Hemmerling, Blue Moon Creations and Sassy Saks.

"I wanted to focus on brining interaction with the attendees and the artists this year," Hevener said. "It creates more connections and becomes a richer experience for everyone here."

Also new this year are is interactive arts program for children and adults. The Columbus Artmobile, Etsy Team Columbus, United Arts and Education, Progressive Monkey and the Hilliard Arts Council will hold interactive programs.

"This is the most lively art show Hilliard has ever had, with much more going on than before," Hevener said.

The Hilliard Arts Council will present $100 to six best-of-class exhibitors and the first 50 patrons to purchase artwork receive a "swag bag" from the arts council.

Live musical entertainment also is scheduled on five stages during the festival. They include three small, community stages and the larger Art Fair and Main Street stages.

The Main Street Stage performers include the Sun Kings at 10 a.m., the Marvins at 11 a.m., the Middle Rats at noon, Blackwater Road at 1:30 p.m., the Pillbillies at 3 p.m., Flannel Shark at 4:30 p.m., New Pollution at 6 p.m., Angela Perley and the Howlin' Moons at 7:30 p.m. and Fashion Disaster at 9 p.m.

The Art Fair Stage will feature Evolution Done Me Wrong at 10 a.m., Norwin and Tommy B at noon and the Scott Wendell Trio at 2 p.m. The Greater Columbus Community Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m.

Parking and admission to the fair are free.

During most of the festival, Main Street will be closed from Madison to North streets and Norwich Street will be closed from Columbia to Wayne streets. The side streets will reopen at 6 p.m., after the conclusion of the primary activities. Main Street will remain closed to traffic until midnight for the After Hours event.

For more information about the arts and street fair, visit oldhilliardfest.org.