EVANS CITY — The 28th annual Oktoberfest celebration, which will be Friday through Sunday, will provide fun, food and frivolity.

Oktoberfest will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday on Wahl Avenue and Jackson Street. The German-themed event is in September to coincide with the traditional festival in Germany.

Marlene Domhoff, who has been on the Oktoberfest planning committee for nearly 25 years, said there will be traditional activities such as the fire hall’s pancake breakfast and some new events this year.

The roughly 50 vendors will open at 10 a.m. Friday, and visitors can peruse the food, crafts, Steelers-themed items, jewelry, clothing and a petting zoo along Wahl Avenue.

Acts will take the stage that will be set up across from the fire hall during all three days. The event will close at 4 p.m. Sunday with a community prayer service led by pastors in the Evans City Ministerium.

New this year is the Shriners’ participation, Domhoff said.

Several units from the Syria Shrine Motor Corps will be in the parade at 11 a.m. Saturday on Main Street. Domhoff said the Shriners’ motorcycles, antique cars, mini-Ts, and roadsters will roar down the street.

Syria Shrine clowns will stroll through Oktoberfest on Sunday.

She said the Oktoberfest committee will give the Shriners a donation for their visit, which will go to the Shriners Hospital.

One display that has been missing from Oktoberfest for more than 15 years will be revived this year, Domhoff said.

“We used to have a quilt show, and it was very well received,” she said.

Domhoff explained those who own a unique quilt or who made one themselves may enter it for judging. Quilts will be accepted from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 202 Van Buren St.

The quilts will be displayed on the pews from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. St. Peter’s Sowers, a sewing group at the church, will judge the quilts and award prizes.

On Saturday evening, the Black Horse Band will perform on the Jackson Street stage. Games of chance will be available in the fire hall on Friday and Saturday night.

A car cruise will shut down Main Street from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, where visitors can see spit-shined antique and muscle cars.

“That’s been drawing more vehicles and people every year,” she said of the car cruise.

Fire Chief Mark Adomaitis and assistant chief Steve Bicehouse look forward to once again cooking pancakes for festivalgoers on Saturday morning.

“I’ve never heard anyone complain about their pancakes or about not getting their money’s worth,” Bicehouse said.