Thousands of Hampton Roads residents are expected to converge on Driver this weekend for the village’s annual autumn celebration, Driver Days.

Steve Moody, chief of the Driver Volunteer Fire Department and chairman of this year’s festival, expects 5,000-6,000 people will turn out for the two-day event.

&uot;It’s grown by leaps and bounds over the last nine years,&uot; said Moody. &uot;Most people are local but we’re seeing a lot more people coming from outside the area, especially over the last five years.&uot;

Visitors will find plenty to do at Driver Days: crafts, hayrides, Civil and Revolutionary War re-enactors, a car show, cowboys that have hourly shootouts and, for this first time, a motorcycle show. The classic car show is on Saturday; the motorcycle show on Sunday.

&uot;There’s something for everyone out here,&uot; said Jason Gould, who runs Rio Grande Traders.

&uot;There is a variety of things going on. You can bring the whole family and everybody will find something that interests and entertains them.&uot;

Craig Parker, proprietor of Driver Variety Store and a founder of the two-day festival, agreed.

&uot;Seeing the kids and older people enjoying themselves makes it all worthwhile,&uot; Parker said. &uot;I think the older people enjoy seeing people they haven’t seen in a long time. It brings back a lot of memories and it’s more their speed than some of the larger festivals.

&uot;And kids get really excited, especially by the horses and cowboy shootouts.&uot;

All proceeds from the festival go to the Driver Volunteer Fire Department. Last year, the event raised approximately $6,000 for the department, Moody said.

&uot;This event has let the department purchase special equipment that we wouldn’t have been able to get otherwise,&uot; Moody said.