DAYTON — More than 300 people have volunteered about 900 hours of their time to work Sunday’s inaugural First Four Festival in the Oregon District, while across the country the NCAA makes selections for its annual men’s basketball tournament, including the eight teams that will tip off play in Dayton.

It’s all part of the plan of the local organizing committee to make Dayton synonymous with the kickoff to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

“I can’t put a dollar amount on what they have agreed to do. Their time is priceless,” said Courtney Deutsch of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, who is in charge of the volunteers. If it were not for the volunteers, putting on the festival — any festival — would be near impossible. Local residents will be involved in everything from setting up the venues to greeting visitors to selling drink tickets, serving beer, water and soft drinks, and helping run family activities like craft tables and kids games.

“This is a celebration of the community, by the community,” said Catherine Petersen, communications director for Montgomery County, which has given the festival $200,000.

“It’s going to be a big party,” said Vail Miller Jr. of Heidelberg Distributing, one of the sponsors of the free First Four Festival. “If we can convince the NCAA that (Dayton) is where the road to the Final Four should begin, it will be a real positive.”

Officials have projected that the four games of the First Four tournament coupled with the First Four Festival will generate $4 million for area businesses. The games will be played next Tuesday and Wednesday at the University of Dayton Arena.

“We want to show the country that Dayton means basketball,” said Tim Wabler, University of Dayton vice president and director of athletics.

Volunteers will be manning their posts even before Sunday’s event gets under way at noon along the three-block venue on East Fifth Street from the train trestle to Wayne Street.

“The response is nothing short of tremendous,” Deutsch said of the call for volunteers. “The beer-pourers filled up first.”

One of those pouring will be Shelby Quinlivan of Dayton.

Quinlivan said it will be her first time as a volunteer beer-pourer.

“I think I’m a pretty good recreational pourer,” she said. She said she volunteered with a group of friends from Generation Dayton, a young professionals group.

“I think it will be a lot of fun. Sounds like a good event for the city and for the fun of it.”

Deutsch said the volunteers will come from throughout the community, including from area colleges and businesses.

The street festival will have plenty of big-screen TVs for watching the team selections for the tournament, including the eight heading for the First Four.

There will be heated tents to shelter visitors should the weather turn nasty, plus live entertainment including a “hot shot” competition between former University of Dayton, Wright State University and Air Force basketball standouts.

In addition, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will display the latest in technology and offer flight simulators, topped off by an Air Force flyover. The festival runs from noon to 10 p.m.

Dayton officials hope the NCAA will keep the First Four basketball games in Dayton past 2013. “We want people to love Dayton. And this is a way to start a wonderful week,” said Heidelberg’s Miller.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2290 or dpage@DaytonDailyNews.com.