SAN ANTONIO -- Thousands of people are expected to descend upon Southtown on Friday for the year's third edition of First Friday, but they'll also be welcomed by a larger police presence, investigators said.

The larger presence is in response to calls to shut down the longtime event altogether by some in the King William district.

"I don't even call it First Friday anymore, I call it NIOSA," said Rene Guerrero, who runs Madhatter's. "I think First Friday can become what it used to be."

The event, primarily focused on the arts of Southtown, has slowly added a new element, including fights throughout the streets and cheap beer, protestors said.

"I'm looking forward to people bringing more kids, making it more of a family venture, and police being here to make it safer for everybody is actually a great thing," said Bill McGaw of Chandies.