This weekend the fourth-annual Ginkgo Festival will bring families from surrounding communities to the Ames area to celebrate the Ames community and its residents.

Live music, a parade, crafts, games, facepainting, a skateboard demonstration, races and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament are some of the attractions Ames residents can enjoy during the festival.

Sheila Collins, public relations intern for the Ginkgo Festival, said the festival originated four years ago to bring families from surrounding areas to the Ames community. She said the festival was named after Ames’ Ginkgo trees to symbolize the unique nature of the trees and Ames residents.

The festival will begin Friday at 5 p.m. with a band and baton concert and will follow with an art reception on Main Street. A barn dance at the Municipal Bandshell Park and a teen dance in the City Hall parking lot are also scheduled for Friday night.

Saturday’s events will begin between 9 and 9:30 a.m. with the “not exactly normal” Virtual Parade on Main Street, Collins said. She said the parade is stationary and spectators walk down the street to see it.

“Instead of spectators taking pictures of the parade, people in the parade take pictures of the spectators,” Collins said.

Collins said the parade is one of the biggest events at the festival, and that people find it an enjoyable experience. On Saturday and Sunday afternoon, the Octagon Center for Arts is sponsoring the Kreature Park craft tables at Bandshell Park. Collins said kids can take home the crafts they create.

Collins said the festival is great for kids because it offers a safe environment. Games, facepainting and a skateboarding demonstration will also be held Saturday and Sunday afternoons on Main Street. The skateboarding demo will feature local skateboarders performing tricks on provided ramps.

Collins said various bands will be performing at Bandshell Park on Saturday and Sunday.

The 27th Annual Midnight Madness will be held Saturday night. Collins said Midnight Madness is not officially part of the Ginkgo festival, but that they are loosely associated.

Roman Lynch, director for Midnight Madness, said the event started as a marathon run from Ames to Boone. It now consists of four races featuring bicyclists and runners of all ages. It also has a mascot called Captain Midnight that has been featured throughout the festivities for five years.

Lynch said the event hosts around 2,000 running participants and 1,000 spectators.

A Fitness and Sports Fair featuring refreshments, Madness history displays and discounted running “stuff” will be held from 2 to 6 Saturday afternoon.

The 10K Bicycle Fun Ride will start the “madness” at 6:30 p.m. The Join the Captain race for kids nine and under or “kids at heart” will follow at 7 p.m. The free race will start at Brenton Bank.

The 5K Race and Walk will be held at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by the 10K Featured Race at 8:30 p.m. A party will be held from 8 to 11 p.m. and will feature a performance by the band Broken Bow, Lynch said. The 15-minute Awards Ceremony will follow the party. Participants receive T-shirts and winning prizes ranging from $100 to $500, according to the Midnight Madness brochure.

The registration fee was $15 if participants signed up before July 7 and is $25 on the day of the race. Participants may pick up packets or register at City Hall between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Collins said pre-registration is needed for the 3-on-3 basketball tournament and the Backwards Ginkgo Open. Participants can register for the basketball tournament at the Ames Park and Recreation department at a cost of $60 per team. The 3-on-3 basketball tournament will be held at the Main Street Station. The $11 per player registration for the Backwards Ginkgo Open will be handled by Emil Peterson at 292-1990.

Collins said the Backwards Ginkgo Open, also called the Ginkgo Backwards Tournament, is a nine-hole golf tournament that is played backwards and the participant with the second-highest score is the winner. The tournament will be held at the Homewood Golf Course, 20th Street and Duff Avenue, at 7 a.m. on Sunday.

Collins said the Ginkgo Festival is “a time you won’t forget.”