COUDERSPORT — Coudersport’s third annual Eliot Ness Fest, running this Friday through Sunday, is attracting national attention with new events and notable guests, including descendants of the fearless federal agents who served under Ness in the battle against crime boss Al Capone, according to a recent press release.

Thousands of people will converge on the small northcentral Pennsylvania town, which will be transformed into a lively Roaring ’20s setting, according to the press release. Attendees are encouraged to dress in period costumes.

Several of this year’s events are creating a buzz. There will be a dramatic re-enactment of the trial that sent Al Capone to prison; an entertaining “Recruitment of the Untouchables” stage play; and six dramatic “street theater” scenes, including raids of gangster outposts and a showdown between rival mobsters.

According to the press release, a veteran federal lawman will present an eye-opening program, “Gangsters, Guns and Honest G-men,” and a noted producer will examine how Eliot Ness’s time in Coudersport was tied to famous entertainers Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball.

Other subject matter experts will separate Ness’s significant accomplishments from a fictionalized character portrayed by Hollywood stars Robert Stack and Kevin Costner in a TV series and blockbuster movie, both titled “The Untouchables.”

A schedule of events and summaries of attractions competing for festival attendees’ time continues to be updated on the website, eliotnessfest.com, and on the festival’s Facebook page.

This year’s theme is, “The Siege of Coudersport.”

Gangsters will take over the town on Friday. Ness and his Untouchables will gather at the Coudersport Theatre and restore order on Saturday. On Sunday, the ringleader, Al Capone will go on trial, while townspeople and tourists celebrate on the courthouse square with music and refreshments.

Eliot Ness Fest recalls the famous crimefighter who spent his final years as a businessman in Coudersport, according to the press release.

Potter County Historical Society is sponsoring the weekend, which mixes Roaring ’20s fun with fascinating history programs, dozens of vintage cars and trucks, law enforcement displays and many other attractions spread out over three days.

“We’ve had reservations and ticket orders pouring in from as far away as California, Florida and two Canadian provinces,” said David Castano, Historical

Society president and chair of the festival committee.

Among notables coming to speak are Scott Sroka, an assistant U.S. Attorney and grandson of “Untouchable” Joe Leeson; A. Brad Schwartz, co-author of a critically acclaimed book shedding light on Ness’s battles against Al Capone’s criminal outfit; and officials from the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, where Ness got his start in law enforcement, according to the press release.

Attendees will be able to relax at a speakeasy-themed “beer garden” sponsored by the Rotary Club. They can also stop at the fascinating Eliot Ness Museum, which features, among other exhibits, a life-sized replica of the famous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre scene, complete with a get-away car.

Topping the more-than-100 vintage cars and trucks that will take Coudersport back in time is the famous 1924 Rolls-Royce Roadster once owned by a prominent Chicago publisher, Col. Robert McCormick, whose investigative reporter was assassinated by gangsters. Fearing that he was next, McCormick had his car bullet-proofed.

Two performances of “The People vs. Alphonse Capone,” a one-hour dramatic re-enactment of the tax evasion trial that took down the infamous gangster, are planned for 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Those trial re-enactments and the “Eliot Ness: A Biographical Suite/Musical Journey” (7 p.m. Friday) are the only ticketed events. The suite is the latest work by Larry Herbstritt, chart-topping composer and songwriter who was inspired by Ness’s integrity and dedication. It will be accompanied by narration and period footage on the movie screen of the Coudersport Theatre.

Following the suite, the BluJayz will perform music and an award-winning ’20s dance duo will perform.

Several local businesses are getting in on the act, including the historic Hotel Crittenden. Eliot Ness and author Oscar Fraley convened at the Crittenden to write the manuscript for the book, “The Untouchables,” an embellished account of Ness’s battles with the Chicago underworld that spawned the Desilt television series and movie, according to the press release.