Margaret Holwell, media director for H Street Main Street, is more excited than usual for this year’s annual H Street Festival. Scheduled noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, the festival is set to take full advantage of the corridor’s thriving retail and arts businesses.

“The thing has gone from just your average little bunch of vendors to really showcasing what H Street is all about,— she said, adding that the festival grounds have been extended a block longer than in past years.

Each block between 10th and 14th streets Northeast will have a different urban theme: art, sport, fashion and works. There will be a variety of live performances and food vendors up and down the street. The Rock and Roll Hotel will host local musicians all day, and a Battle of the Junk Bands will take place at Uneeda Market. A runway show marking the start of DC Fashion Week and a tattoo contest sponsored by Britishink will bring participants to the fashion section. In the works section, the neighborhood will promote its efforts to become more environmentally friendly with public transportation options, green roofs and a garden for H Street chefs.

“We’re working on being, oddly enough, the greenest street in Washington,— Holwell said.

Transportation choices will be expanded for the day’s activities. The nightly H Street shuttle will extend its hours and routes, and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association will offer a free bike valet.

More information is available at hstreetfestival2009.org.