NATCHEZ — When the doors open at 10 a.m. the crowds will start coming and the free gifts will start flowing.

The ninth annual Natchez Food and Lifestyle show is expected to draw more than 10,000 people today and Sunday.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Natchez Convention Center.

Admission is $3.

The event, in which food and lifestyle vendors offer free samples to those who come to browse their products, will have between 60 and 70 vendors booths.

The show was originally started to give back to the community, Barry Loy, director of retail sales for the Markets said.

“We wanted to show them the new product offerings available every year,” he said. “We wanted to show what we at the Markets have to offer and let them know what we are and what we stand for.”

The festival will have a lot to offer from an entertainment and lifestyle perspective, Loy said.