The fifth annual Buellton Fall Festival will return to the Avenue of the Flags this Friday through Sunday, offering free admission and three days of live music, food vendors and carnival attractions.

Organized by En Fuego Events in partnership with the Buellton Chamber of Commerce, the family-friendly street festival spans two blocks at 501 Avenue of the Flags in downtown Buellton and features more than 60 food and merchant booths along with more than 40 bands performing across two stages.

The event is set to run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with free admission each day.

Guests are free to come and go throughout the weekend with no tickets required to enjoy the festival grounds or live music. Pets are allowed but must remain on a leash.

Event organizer Andres Nuño said the festival has quickly become a popular fall tradition, drawing more than 15,000 visitors over the three-day event last year.

“We’re hoping to increase that,” Nuño said. “We’re going to have some really good weather, and we have some really good music lined up this year.”

Nuño said this year’s entertainment schedule was designed with more intention, grouping bands by genre to help audiences stay engaged throughout the day. 

Friday will feature a 1980s and ’90s dance party headlined by The Molly Ringwald Project. 

Saturday will kick off with funk and rock performances during the day, followed by Reggae Night in the evening featuring returning reggae legend Pato Banton.

Sunday will begin with Fiesta Sunday, featuring regional Mexican music from Equipo Elite, and the evening wraps up with Country Night, featuring the Jimi Nelson Band.

Nuño said the second stage will feature a mix of genres throughout the weekend.

“The other stage kind of bounces around,” he said. “If you like music, any style of it, we will most likely have somebody who you will be playing that.”

In addition to live music, the event will feature a full-scale carnival with rides and games. All-you-can-ride wristbands are $38 presale through Thursday at 10 p.m. and are available online or at the Buellton Chamber of Commerce, 597 Avenue of the Flags, Suite 101.

Guests age 21 or older can purchase drinks from any of the festival’s three bars or attend Ales on the Avenue, a ticketed tasting event on Saturday from noon to 3:30 p.m. featuring beer, wine and cider from visiting vendors. Tickets are $35 and available on the festival website.

Nuño said the entire event is a permitted open-container area, allowing guests with a 21-plus wristband to enjoy drinks while walking among stages, food booths and carnival rides.

“We didn’t want to stick people in a beer garden away from everything,” he said. “This way, parents can enjoy a drink while spending time with their kids — just like they would at a ball game or a restaurant.”

A portion of the festival proceeds will benefit the Buellton Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund for local high school seniors.

A full entertainment schedule and ticket information are available on the event’s website.