The RiverCity Festival returns to Penn Treaty Park this weekend, and this year looks to offer even more family fun and excitement on the riverfront than the last.

RiverCity organizer Neil Brecher said the teams working to present the festival - mostly through the efforts of the Fishtown Neighbors Association - learned much from last year's inaugural event, and have adjusted the festival slightly to offer more than just a new selection of bands.

Major changes include transportation for residents to the festival, as well as new food vendors to ensure that there will be something for everyone.

"We learned a lot from last year, and I'm really excited to be doing it again," said Brecher. "It will look the same, but we're tweaking it to be more focused on food."

Last year, Brecher said, food vendors did exceedingly well, but some found success easier than others.

"We learned what kind of foods people want. Sandwiches did really well," he said. "By seeing how each vendor did last year, we know how we could improve (the festival.)"

Also new this year will be a trolley that will run a loop throughout Northern Liberties and Fishtown, including stops at Palmer Cemetery, Liberties Walk and other points, to help residents get to the festival.

Brecher said some of last year's attendees complained about difficulty getting to the event because, as pedestrians, many had to brave the traffic along Delaware Avenue.

For that reason, and because much of the riverfront has been cutoff from neighborhoods by I-95, Brecher said the park just isn't as utilized or well known as it should be.

"Last year, we learned just how many people aren't even aware of that park," said Brecher. "It's cut off by I-95, and some people haven't even been there before. But, it's this new-old jewel of the city that some people are waiting to discover."

This year's festival is shaping up to be something that will draw a diverse crowd, even if a visit to Penn Treaty Park is a new experience for them.

The event will begin at about 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, with the RiverCity Run, a 5k trek along Delaware Avenue that Brecher said should feature twice the amount of runners as last year.

"At last year's run, we had about 100 runners, but this year, we expect something like 150 to 200," he said.

After the run, at about noon, vendor stands will open and, at 12:15 p.m., the first band of the day, Wareika Hill, will take the stage.

Brecher said Wareika Hill, a reggae band, will be followed by performances from bands that all specialize in various musical genres.

He said that the four bands that will perform - including North Lawrence Midnight Singers, a visit from members of the Lenni Lenape tribe, Birdie Busch and Full Blown Cherry - will provide a rocking day of family-friendly entertainment.

Brecher said his goal for the RiverCity Festival is to help put the neighborhood on the map as a destination for residents throughout the city to visit and experience its unique flair.

The festival - made possible by a grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's "Take Me to the River" program along with funding from the William Penn Foundation - will not only feature music, but also many local vendors, artists and shops will have booths to present all that Fishtown has to offer.

"We are hoping to show the city who Fishtown is," said Brecher. "It's a vibrant community. There is a strong sense of community and family here that I don't think the city realizes."

By holding the festival in Penn Treaty Park, located at Delaware and Columbia avenues, Brecher said he's hoping to celebrate not only the community, but also the origins of Philadelphia.

Penn Treaty Park is the location where Pennsylvania's namesake, William Penn, first made peace with the Lenni Lenape tribe, which once inhabited the region.

"This is where it all began," he said of the park. "We're going to get the whole community involved here, but what I'm really excited about is getting people out to enjoy the park."

Reporter Hayden Mitman can be reached at 215-354-3124 or hmitman@phillynews.com

RiverCity Fest

The River City Festival will be held on Sat., Oct. 3 at Penn Treaty Park, Delaware and Columbia avenues. After the 5k RiverCity Run in the morning, noon will bring live music, including local favorites, Wareika Hill, Birdie Busch, North Lawrence Midnight Singers and Full Blown Cherry. The Lenni Lenape tribe will perform traditional music and dances.

There will be food from seven area restaurants including Hinge Cafe, Cornerstone, Mandi's, and O'Reilly's. The festival will feature historical presentations, expanded children's activities, including a moon bounce, human bowling and more.

Also, look out for the River City shuttle trolley running through Fishtown and Northern Liberties to take you to the festival and back again.

For more information, visit www.RiverCityfestival.org or e-mail info@RiverCityfestival.org.