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WINTERSET, Iowa — The 54th annual Covered Bridge Festival kicked off the weekend festivities at the Madison County Courthouse Square.

The CEO of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Amara Huffine, said she’s expecting between 25,000 and 30,000 people to come out for the two-day event. The festival is a celebration of the historic bridges of Madison County popularized by the 1995 film.

The festival kicked off at 9 a.m. with around 150 vendors lining the streets of the square. It will continue through 5:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $3 per ticket, or $5 for two tickets. Children under 11 get in for free. People can also see live entertainment and take part in several activities.

The Covered Bridges Winery is one of the vendors people can visit. This year is their 15th year at the festival.

They sell 17 different wines in their storefront and online, and nine of them were available at the festival. They supply a myriad of white, red, dry, and sweet wines. Customers were able to sample the wines and purchase a glass.

Owner Kevin Fifo said they have “wineritas,” or wine slushies that customers can try as well.

A three-time vendor at the festival is Speckled Hen Farms. The owner, Kris Miler, said she loves being a vendor at the Covered Bridge Festival.

Her stand features an assortment of local products, including socks, pasta sauces, caramels, honey, smores kits, dog food, and so much more.

Many Winterset residents rave about local bakery, The Bakery Unlimited. Owner, Katie Sparks, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the bakery.

They’re most known for their apple fritters. Sparks said the first red delicious apples came from Madison County, so the dessert is a nod to the community.