Merchants Way will close at 10 p.m. on Friday, July 8 and will remain closed until Saturday, July 9 at 5 p.m. for the 15th Annual Swan Festival.

Parking will be strictly enforced by the Wareham Police Department. Violators will be towed at the vehicle owners' expense.

The Swan Festival will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a July 10 rain date. The family-friendly event will feature live music and dance performances, artists and crafters, and lots of food.

New to the festival this year is Op the Cyclops, a very rare, very special prehistoric cyclops who has just come out of hiding. The magical creature lays eggs for children who are nice to him!

Onset Village Music is also a festival newcomer, offering musical performances by its students and musical novelties.

The festival has many features back by popular demand, including: The Dick Melloni Foundation, which will provide free bike helmets to 300 children along with safety education; The Roaming Railroad, a 27-passenger trackless train offering rides throughout the festival for $3; The MYCHIP safety program, which will provide safety kits to the first 300 children. The program has helped law enforcement find more than 350,000 lost or missing children since 1988.

Keep checking Wareham Week and WarehamVillageSoup.com for more about the Swan Festival!