The smell of barbecue and the sound of live music will once again fill downtown Warren as RibFest returns to Liberty Street this weekend.

The event will take place Thursday to Saturday in the 200 block of Liberty Street, bringing together rib vendors, live entertainment and local businesses for a weekend celebration in the heart of the city.

Preparations will begin before the festival officially opens. Street closures are scheduled to start at midnight Wednesday, affecting Second Avenue between the Midtown Parking Lot entrance and Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as Liberty Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Third Avenue. Event setup and vendor arrivals took place Wednesday.

Festival activities begin with food vendors opening at 11 a.m. Thursday and remaining open until 10 p.m. That evening, the Warren Philharmonic will present its Pops by the Fountain concert at 7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Following the performance, students from The Music Conservatory, LLC-Warren will take the RibFest stage.

Friday’s festivities will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Music will be provided throughout the day by the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry event trailer. Downtown businesses will also offer extended shopping hours as organizers encourage residents and visitors to support local merchants.

The Music in the Park series will relocate to the RibFest stage for one night only on Friday, featuring Grand Larceny from 7 to 11 p.m.

Live entertainment continues Saturday with performances by MAD Music’s The 59ers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Kokomo Time Band from 2 to 4 p.m., Echoes on Water from 5 to 7 p.m., and Whiskey Joe from 8 to 11 p.m.

Cleanup operations are scheduled for Sunday, June 28, with streets expected to reopen by the end of the day.

Organizers are reminding residents that parking in the downtown area will be limited from June 24 through June 28. The Midtown Parking Lot will remain available for public use during the event.