McHenry Chief of Police John Birk reminds drivers who do not need to be on McCullom Lake Road between Friday afternoon and Sunday night to find another route.

The fourth McHenry Music Festival is set to kick off Friday and run through Sunday evening. The city is expecting between 9,000 and 10,000 concert attendees, Birk said.

His department’s plans for the event are the same as previous years – residents who have registered for Nixel alerts to their phone and/or email will get updates before the show, Birk said.

An hour or two before the show, the reminders will notify users that McCullom Lake Road “will get backed up with people getting into the park” in the afternoon, Birk said.

He does not expect backups as the concerts let out at the end of the night.

“The parking lots will be emptied out in 45 minutes,” Birk said.

Organized by the RISE Up Foundation and McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett and his wife, Amber, proceeds from the three-day music festival go back to projects in McHenry.

The organizers also have changed the festival grounds’ layout, Birk said.

“The concert is in the main field that used to be all parking. That is now two-thirds venue and one-third parking,” the police chief said.

Now there are multiple parking lots being utilized. Those will be filled in order of arrival and are expected to make it easier to clear those lots in the evening, Birk said.

The parking lots also are being opened earlier this year to reduce congestion coming into the park. Cars can start entering the park at 2 p.m. Gates to the concert venue will open at 3:30 p.m., and the first acts are expected to go onstage at 4:30 p.m., according to mchenrymusicfest.com.

Tailgating with alcohol is not allowed at the park, Birk said.

Residents can sign up for Nixel alerts at cityofmchenry.org.