STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Public safety is a priority as 6,000 people pour into Steamboat Springs this week for the 33rd annual MusicFest.

On Thursday, people will begin arriving for the six-day music festival featuring 11 stages and 70 bands playing country and Americana music.

Tickets to MusicFest sold out in November, but there are still opportunities to catch some live music.

There are still tickets available for a 7 p.m. show Thursday at the Chief Theater starring sing-songwriter Park McCollum with special guest Zac Wilkerson. Tickets cost $20.

There will also be free concerts in Gondola Square as well as at Steamboat bars on the mountain and downtown.

The free concerts will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Gondola Square at the Steamboat Stage.

MusicFest founder John Dickson said another couple thousand people may come to Steamboat just for the free shows.

The main venues this year will again be The Steamboat Grand, Thunderhead Lodge and the large tent set up at the Knoll parking lot, which is rated to hold 3,000 people.

“There is going to be a lot of pedestrian traffic so be a little more careful with the folks going to and from the tent venue,” Steamboat Springs Police Department Commander Jerry Stabile said.

New this year, MusicFest will be holding shows at Strings Music Pavilion.

To help keep concertgoers safe, between six and eight uniformed officers will be working at the different venues Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Stabile said the MusicFest attendees are here to have fun, are very respectful, and police usually do not encounter a lot of problems.

“People want to feel safe, and the reception we get when we’re up there is overwhelmingly positive,” Stabile said.

MusicFest also pays to have Steamboat firefighters at the tent.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247, email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @SBTStensland.