GOSHEN — The most popular First Fridays theme is back: cruising.

The fifth annual event will start at 4 p.m. Friday with an after-party at Bosco’s from 10 to 11 p.m. Coordinator Gina Leichty said that she expects about 15,000 people at the event.

“I think cruising has quite a storied history in Goshen,” Leichty said. “A lot of the people who live around here have really fond memories of those experiences.”

Staging will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at Goshen Middle School, 1216 S. Indiana Ave. Then the cars will take to the street. The website advises that those looking for parking look on the city lots off of Third and Fifth streets and that there will be none available on Main Street.

Leichty said the theme has always been a strong draw. The average attendance ranges between 12,000 and 18,000 people. This year organizers are upping the number of food vendors. With such a large crowd, it’s been hard to supply enough food for them in years past.

Organizers will be offering an urban art chalk contest for kids ages 11 to 18 that will start at 6:30 p.m. on the court house lawn. Children are still encouraged to go to the organized activities or stay where they are supervised by adults.

“I think that’ll be a challenge for us so we continue to encourage parents to come with their kids,” she said.

Goshen Mayor Allan Kauffman said he’s asked the Goshen Police Department to crack down on people squealing their tires during Friday’s huge cruising event.

“I would like to see them do that. It’s a nuisance,” Kauffman said. Last year the police department gave out warnings for the activity, the mayor said.

In an email statement, Chief Wade Branson wrote, “The Goshen Police Department will on First Friday, as they do every day throughout the city of Goshen, enforce the traffic laws of the State of Indiana. Our goal for First Friday events is to help promote a safe and enjoyable event for all participants.”

Cruising T-shirts will be available for sale with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club of Goshen. The shirts will be $10.

Blues band The Wonder Boys will be playing at 8 p.m. on the court house lawn. South Bend group Box Set will be playing at 6 p.m. at Kelly Jae’s Café.

Art gallery Found will reopen its doors this Friday. The store sells jewelry, art and other artifacts curated from countries around the world. There will be a book signing there for “The Daily Feast,” a cookbook co-written by co-owner Ann Graber Miller. The book signings will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. The gallery is at 208 S. Main St.

For information, go to cityonthego.org/first_fridays.

Truth reporter Justin Leighty constributed to this story.