SAN ANTONIO — Preparations are underway for this year's Bat Loco Bash.

Each year thousands of people come to watch the bats take flight from under the I-35 bridge just north of downtown.

On Tuesday night a lot of people will gather to watch the bats take flight.

"We literally get bat crazy and we honor the Mexican free-tailed bat colony that lives under the I-35 bridge on Camden," Yivand Serbones-Hernandez with the San Antonio River Authority said.

For the last six years, the San Antonio River Authority, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Bat Conservation International have transformed part of the museum reach for the Bat Loco Bash.

"Every year it gets bigger, it's kind of taken life of its own. We're so happy the community has embraced this event," Serbones-Hernandez said.

Last year about 5,000 people enjoyed all the music, food, and the educational aspects that come with it. Organizers say fighting some common misconceptions about bats and showing how important they are to our environment is one of the most important parts of the event.

"At the end of the day these bats really help us out especially when it comes to protecting the crops. They save $1.4 billion for the Texas economy when it comes to protecting the crops. They eat their weight in insects every night. So we want to highlight them, celebrate them, and have a last hoorah before school starts," Serbones-Hernandez said.

For more information on road closures and parking visit the event website.