If you’re driving down Park Avenue between Pleasant and Highland streets on Sunday, Sept. 21, you’ll be met with a rather significant roadblock: stART on the Street.

Instead of taking a detour, stop by to see why street performers, live bands, food trucks and more than 300 artists have congregated. Chances are you’ve heard about stART, which was created in 2002 and is now “one of Central Massachusetts’ premier cultural events,” according to its Facebook fanpage.

“We have featured artists from all over the East Coast, as far away as Baltimore. And we expect over 50,000 visitors this year,” said Tina Zlody, co-founder and co-director of stART on the Street and chairman of the Worcester Arts Council.

StART, run by Zlody and a host of passionate volunteer coordinators, began as “the brainchild of an independent group of local artists and art-lovers at its inception in 2002,” according to its website. The nonprofit ~ still run entirely by volunteers ~ has since drawn considerable praise. StART has also evolved to become Massachusetts’s largest arts, music and cultural festival.

What makes this fall’s stART on the Street different is the theme “Art of Play”; more specifically, how one interprets play, or recreation, and its connotations. Zlody said each festival centers loosely on a theme, and given this year’s “Art of Play” focus, stART’s coordinators have lined up “hands-on kids’ activities and interactive creative features for fun-lovers of all ages to investigate.” For the music aficionado, September’s festival will offer three stages with bands ranging from world music to rock ’n’ roll; for the hungry, food trucks will offer nearly everything, including vegan and vegetarian dishes; for the parents out and about with children, you’re not likely to hear the words “I’m bored.”

No discussion of stART would be complete without highlighting its three most important letters. From the Worcester Art Museum to the Hanover Theatre, our city values creativity and the arts. It’s no surprise that stART on the Street has been met with wild success. September’s event will feature more than 300 artists and crafters showcasing handmade wares, including pottery, jewelry, clothing and paintings.

“Our goal is to showcase the best of what Worcester has to offer and continue growing,” Zlody said. She expects an increase of 5,000-6,000 visitors compared to 2013, and her team has worked tirelessly over the past year to ensure the festival’s success. Whether you’re an incoming college freshman new to Worcester or you’ve lived in Worcester your entire life, do not miss this year’s stART on the Street. Come grab some good eats, jam out and support your local artists.

For more information, visit startonthestreet.org

By Benjamin McNeil