Vicksburg’s annual downtown street party will roll out the red carpet along Washington Street to celebrate its 20th year, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.

Riverfest will welcome 14 headliners who will fill two stages Friday and Saturday nights. Each night will also feature local and regional entertainment at Center Stage, Riverstage Plaza at Crawford and Washington streets.

Friday’s entertainment will be country stars Randy Houser, Steve Azar and Blake Shelton on the North Stage at China and Washington streets. The South Stage at South and Washington streets will feature R&B and blues performers Larry Milton, Vasti Jackson, Chuck Strong and Wilson Meadows. Tickets will be $20 at the gates, located at South Street, Walnut Towers parking garage on Walnut Street, Horizon parking garage at Mulberry Street, Crawford Street and China Street.

Daytime activities will crank up at 8 with the 39th Annual Vicksburg-Warren County Riverfest Arts & Crafts Show, which has moved from Washington Street to around City Hall, along Walnut Street between South and Crawford. Plenty of arts and crafts, refreshments and toys will be on display throughout the day.

Vendors and children’s activities will kick off along Washington Street at 10 a.m. Gospel, jazz and variety music will fill the streets until 4:30 p.m., when the festivities close for nighttime events.

When the gates open again at 6, entertainers will take to the three stages. On the South Stage will be the Swartz Brothers, Projeckt, Ruby Wilson and T.K. Soul. Hitting the North Stage will be rockers Deadly 7th, One Less Reason and Aaron Lewis of Staind in an acoustic solo show.

Lewis, who has sold more than 15 million albums with his hard-hitting alternative group, returned to his roots as a solo performer about four years ago, while maintaining his stay as lead singer of Staind.

He said in a phone interview Wednesday that his Riverfest performance will be his first outdoor solo show. And, he added that his acoustic show tends to be more on a level with James Taylor rather than the heavy sounds of Staind.

&#8220I write lyrics, and they tend to get lost in the hubbub of a song – with all the layers and textures,” he said. &#8220There’s only one layer of a vocal. I take songs that people recognize from Staind and I’ve stripped them down to the guts of the song. It allows the lyrics to shine through anything.”

While most of Lewis’ fans may be used to seeing him fronting a stage of raging guitars and dark lyrics, Saturday’s performance will show a simpler side of the musician.

&#8220It’s very low-key,” he said. &#8220It’s fun. You get to see me smile – a lot more than I’ve ever allowed myself to show through. It’s just me and the stool.”

Nighttime activities will shut down around midnight Saturday. Advance tickets are available for $20 or $35 for both nights at Paper Plus, Trustmark National Bank’s downtown branch and Toot’s Grocery. For information, visit www.riverfestms.com.

IF YOU GO

The 20th Annual Riverfest will be Friday and Saturday in downtown Vicksburg. Day activities are free and will run from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Vendors will line Washington Street, and street acts will perform at Clay and Washington. The 39th Annual Vicksburg-Warren County Riverfest Arts & Crafts Show will be from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. near City Hall at Crawford and South streets. Activities will begin each night at 6 with entertainment on three stages along Washington Street.