Spring is in bloom in Franklin, and area merchants are ready to show off their downtown.

In efforts to draw traffic into the stores surrounding the square this time of year, the Franklin Downtown Merchants Association will sponsor the third annual Cherry Blossom Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s mainly to get people to see Franklin and let them know what we have, and hopefully they’ll remember and they’ll come back,” said Teresa Perkins, owner of Pineapple Lilly, a store participating in the festival. “Our downtown is just beautiful.”

Nineteen shops on the square will feature about 20 artists – such as watercolorist Kim Skipper at Quilter’s Fabrics, jewelry maker Jill Gentry at Play Time, Play Wear and painter Debbie Reid at Crabtree Furniture. The artists, Perkins said, will be doing demonstrations inside the stores, giving patrons an opportunity to see crafts being made and an opportunity to purchase them.

In its third go around, Perkins said the idea for the festival came from a customer who had come in from Louisville. The customer, Perkins said, had been to a festival in another area, and spoke about how much she enjoyed it.

“We were looking for something in the spring to do,” Perkins said. “It just seemed like a good fit for us. Plus, the cheery trees in bloom are absolutely beautiful. People literally stop and take pictures.”

The first two years, Perkins said, were “exceptionally” successful, drawing people from out of town as well as those in town. The merchants were very satisfied, she said.

“We hope this year will be just as successful,” she said. “It’s supposed to be 67 degrees and sunshine, and we just want people to … shop and see what Franklin has to offer.”