Organizers of the third annual Royal Oak Taco Fest are expecting a bump in attendance this summer with more taco trucks, expanded family activities, and the event’s first cannabis sales and consumption area.

Event producer Jon Witz, who also runs the Arts, Beats and Eats festival in town, said JARS Cannabis will set up its offerings for adults in the parking lot behind the Rock on Third bar at Third and Williams streets.

“It’s an 1,800-square-foot area,” said Witz, who had the state’s largest event with marijuana use and sales at last year’s Arts, Beats and Eats. “There will be a limit of 200 people at a time. It’s a small, nice, tasteful touch that’s not going to overwhelm the event.”

With two days of rain at last year’s Taco Fest, attendance was 50,000 over the four days of the festival, which starts July 4. With some better weather and new attractions, attendance may climb to 60,000 or 65,000, Witz said.

Though there have been other events with cannabis use on site, they have been smaller and focused chiefly on marijuana use.

Taco Fest, following Arts, Beats and Eats, is only the second event statewide to blend cannabis use for adults into a large festival for all demographics, including families.

JARS Cannabis is spending an amount in the six figures to address issues such as ambient smoke and smells from marijuana smoke with large fans and filtration systems, Witz said.

“We are just showing again that you can safely integrate a family event with activities for adults into a mainstream special event, he said.”

Royal Oak’s City Commission voted 5-2 about two months in favor of allowing a controlled marijuana area at the Taco Fest.

The vote followed a review of the cannabis proposal by the city police department, JARS Cannabis has about 35 outlets in Michigan, Colorado and Arizona.

Raymond Abro, JARS Cannabis COO, said in a statement that the company’s exclusive cannabis retail sponsorship with Royal Oak Taco Fest proves “that the future of public events can safely … integrate with cannabis, setting a new standard for social events and gatherings everywhere.”

The sales and consumption area will be surrounded by fencing blocking any views at street level, and have a designated entrance and exit areas with security workers.

Business owners near the cannabis area that Witz spoke with had no objections, he told city commissioners before they voted on the proposal.

He said Thursday that there are other attractions coming to the four-day Royal Oak Taco Fest starting July 4 to reach a broad demographic.

One of them is aimed at attendees willing to buy tickets to the event early. Pre-sale tickets of $8 purchased through Memorial Day will be discounted 25 percent when four or more tickets are purchased. Tickets can be bought on Royal Oak Taco Fest website at royaloaktacofest.com

Regular tickets are priced at $12, the same as last year.

Family events will be expanded at the event to include a zipline, a ropes course where participants swing, climb and navigate different obstacles.

A Kids’ Zone at Centennial Commons will have more attractions this year with inflatables, arts and crafts, face painting and other activities.

Taco Fest will later release the names of the more than 50 taquerias, taco trucks, and eateries from around the region.

Lucha Libre wrestling matches, hot sauce challenges, taco eating contests, artisan vendors, tequila sampling contests are part of the other attractions along with ax throwing and a dog pageant.

Strolling mariachi performers with trumpets, guitars and violins will augment more than 50 metro Detroit entertainers on five stages, organizers said.