PALM SPRINGS – Driving through Palm Springs through Sunday night will be tough as the main road through downtown will be closed for a giant motorcycle rally expected to draw thousands of participants.

Palm Canyon Drive, from Alejo to Baristo roads, will be shut down for the 2008 American Heat Motorcycle Weekend starting at 8 a.m. Friday. That road will remain closed until 9 p.m. Sunday, said City of Palm Springs spokesperson Amy Blaisdell.

The event features “stunt shows, live entertainment and motorcycle vendors,” according to a city statement.

Vendors are setting up shop along the center of Palm Canyon Drive from Amado to Arenas roads. Each end of the closed-off portions of Palm Canyon beyond that center stretch will be set aside for motorcycle parking. Those two areas are along Palm Canyon Drive from Alejo to Amado roads and from Arenas to Baristo roads.

Downtown traffic will be detoured around the area by signs and traffic officers, while “local traffic for downtown hotels, restaurants and businesses may use Belardo Road,” according to the city.

Palm Springs Police Chief David Dominguez told the Desert Sun he does not expect any violence during the motorcycle event, despite past conflicts in California between rival motorcycle gangs.

“They have let us know they are coming and they just want to have fun,” said Dominguez.

Nevertheless, he told a merchants group that there will be a heavy presence of uniformed officers at the event. “I think we will be fine,” he said.

The event has been held in prior years at the Spa Resort Casino parking lot, but downtown business owners worked together to encourage the show to come to downtown, according to the newspaper, which quoted Keith McCormick, chairman of the downtown Business Improvement District, as encouraging businesses to extend their hours for the event.

The Desert Sun estimated about 10,000 motorcycles are expected to “roar” into downtown Palm Springs.