Several roads around the Covered Bridge will be closed down beginning on Thursday for events with the annual Covered Bridge Celebration.

With the annual festival getting underway Thursday night and continuing through Saturday night, law enforcement officials are encouraging motorists to drive carefully and keep an eye out for pedestrians.

“Be mindful of the celebration and drive with caution,” Elizabethton Police Department Major Shannon Peters said.

There are several public parking areas for festival goers, which means there will be a substantial increase in pedestrian traffic as they go to and from events. Both motorists and pedestrians should use caution in the area around the festival, Peters said.

“Give a little extra time if you are traveling downtown to allow for traffic and detours,” Peters said.

On Thursday morning, the roads around Covered Bridge Park will close to allow for set up of equipment for the festival. East Elk Avenue will be closed from Riverside Drive to Main Street. The entrance to East Elk Avenue from Academy Street will also be closed. Third Street will be closed from South Main Street to the Covered Bridge. These areas will remain closed throughout the celebration.

Also on Thursday morning, the northbound lanes of Riverside Drive will be closed from Hattie Avenue to East Elk Avenue. Riverside Drive will be closed from Mapes Drive to East E Street, but access to Tetrick Funeral Home will still be available. These areas will remain closed through the end of the festival.

On Saturday morning, the section of East E Street from Post Office Street to South Sycamore Street (near Elizabethton Federal bank) will close for the Community Yard Sale. Access to the Elizabethton Federal ATM will remain available.

On Saturday at 5 p.m. several streets in the historic downtown will close for the special Cruise-In event for the Covered Bridge Celebration.

East Elk Avenue will be closed from the entrance to downtown at Doe Avenue and Elm Street all the way through to the Monument at Main Street. Pine Street/Armed Forces Drive will be closed from East F Street to East E Street. Access to the public parking lot at the corner of Pine Street and East F Street will still be available. South Sycamore Street will be closed from Elizabethton City Hall to Elizabethton Federal Bank. East E Street will be closed from Armed Forces Drive to Elm Street. Those areas will remain closed until after the festival ends Saturday night.

In addition to the road closures surrounding the festival areas, there will be some temporary road closures for the 5K/3K Run-Walk which will be held Saturday morning. The Run-Walk begins at 8 a.m. and follows a route through the downtown area and along Stateline Road before returning to the Covered Bridge to finish out. There will be police officers and volunteers along the route to help with traffic control and ensure both motorist and participant safety.