For two days this week, thousands of people will descend upon downtown Jamestown for the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.
Last year, 2,200 players participated in the tournament, according to Vickie Bardo, the event coordinator. Just as many players - if not more - and their families will attend this year's Gus Macker, which will take place on June 6 and 7 on the stretch of Third Street between Monroe and North Main streets.
''This is just huge for our downtown,'' Bardo said. ''The merchants have really embraced this event and I think everyone has a lot of fun with it.''
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For two days this week, thousands of people will descend upon downtown Jamestown for the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. The 13th annual tournament will kick off Friday, with registration at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena from 4 to 7 p.m.
The 13th annual tournament will kick off Friday, with registration at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena from 4 to 7 p.m. A ''very spirited'' sponsors-only tournament will begin at 4 p.m., Bardo said.
''The music is cranking and there are a million people milling about,'' she said. ''It's very cool. People actually come downtown to watch the tournament get set up. That starts at 8 a.m. Friday. It's kind of neat to see Third Street be transformed. One minute, it's just a city street and the next minute there's all this equipment and duct tape and an army of people going to work.''
Registration opens at 7 a.m. Saturday. Bardo said Jamestown-area players should make a point to register on Friday so out-of-towners can register quickly and get to their courts on Saturday.
Opening ceremonies for the tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and will include a Do-Or-Die Shot, which Bardo said is the first basket of the tournament.
Games on Saturday will run until approximately 6 p.m., Bardo said.
At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Bardo said there are ''a whole list of other events'' taking place. Those events include an exhibition by a hip-hop competitive basketball cheerleaders dance team, a Special Olympics exhibition game and the finals of the Dinky Dunk, a dunk tournament for kids ages 5 to 9.
At 6 p.m. Saturday, the adult slam dunk competition - one of the highlights of the tournament - will take place.
''We've even had some slam dunks appear on YouTube,'' she said. ''We've had guys jump over people and tables and even one guy bounce the ball off the wall of the Ice Arena before dunking it. It's hilarious fun.''
Games on Sunday begin at 8 a.m. and will run until approximately 6 p.m., Bardo said. Games will be played until there is a champion on every court.
Proceeds from the tournament will go to the TRC Foundation to support individuals with disabling conditions and their families. The TRC Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.
For more information, call 661-1477.