Another festival is getting its start this year in Fort Mill.

Move Fort Mill Forward's first downtown event this year will be Fort Mill Thunder this Saturday. The festivities will start at 10 a.m., and North White Street will be blocked off between Clebourne and Main for the event that includes a car show, vendor booths, a kids zone and live bluegrass music.

"We want people to have fun and come downtown," event co-chair, Mari-Ann Taylor said. "This is our first official event this year for Move Fort Mill Forward."

Move Fort Mill Forward has 160 trophies to award, and expects at least 200 cars and trucks to participate. The event will also feature a charity motorcycle ride starting at noon. A convoy of two-wheelers will leave the parking lot off Main and Clebourne streets, travel down Tom Hall Street into Lancaster County, down Hwy. 521 to Doby's Bridge Road and back to downtown.

Event organizers ask that people bring canned goods, other food items and cleaning supplies for the Fort Mill Care Center Pantry. Evans Tire and Wrecker Service is providing a flatbed tow truck to haul the food over to the Care Center, Taylor said.

Food and craft vendors will line the closed block of North White Street, and the kids zone will be set up on the open field on White Street with inflatable bounce houses and slides. Playball will also be on hand to run several kids games, and the National Guard will erect its climbing wall on the field as well, according to Taylor. Local law enforcement agencies will also set up a children's identification booth.

"It was a real coup to get the National Guard," she said. "They don't come out to just any event."

Throughout the day three bluegrass bands - Wayne Henderson, Ridge Hill and Deeper Shade of Blue - will provide live entertainment. Henderson is a renowned musician and luthier. A guitar he made for Eric Clapton sold at a charity auction for more than $30,000.

But it's the car show taking center stage Saturday.

"We wanted to have something in the spring and a car show was recommended as a fun event and a good fundraiser," Taylor said. "We hope to make enough money to have some to start on next year's Fort Mill Thunder and help pay Move Fort Mill Forward expenses."

The group will be selling Christmas tree ornaments depicting the Anne Springs Close Greenway Dairy Barn and the painted miniatures the Fort Mill Downtown Association has been commissioning for several years (Move Fort Mill Forward and the Downtown Association merged in January). Also for sale will be U.S. Capitol painting prints that were unveiled at last fall's Art on Main event.

Parking will be available in municipal and church parking lots in and around downtown, Taylor said.

"Our main goal is to bring people to downtown Fort Mill," she said.

For more information, visit www.movefortmillforward.com.