In the two decades since the Grateful Dead drew more than 100,000 concert-goers to Oxford Plains Speedway, much has changed.

For both the band — and the town.

First, only two of that band’s surviving members will be back in town this weekend for the Nateva Music & Camping Festival.

And, perhaps more important to festival neighbors and other local folks older than 30, the town has a mass-gathering ordinance that should hold the size of the crowd at a more modest 14,999.

Festival promoter Frank Chandler said Wednesday that his group had 300 people in place readying the area for the concert. Two hundred more workers were expected later in the day.

Jim Britt, a publicist for the event, said security details from various companies would be on the scene. In addition, crews were busy erecting fences and striping parking and camping areas in fields.

In 1988, traffic on local roads seized up, concertgoers parked anywhere they could find a spot, including the side of the road and neighbors’ yards, which also served as impromptu bathroom facilities.

Perhaps the biggest snafu was the traffic, which would have prevented emergency vehicles from being able to respond to a fire or medical call.

Chandler said there should be no comparisons made to 1988, which was the “worst concert in the history of Oxford,” he said. “I’m not stuck in 1988. I’m moving forward.”

Britt said the primary difference would be “scale.” Chandler had likened his event to a leisurely backyard barbecue with world-class music. He’s so confident in the safety and welfare of concertgoers, he’s bringing his kids, Nate and Eva, whose names he combined to name the festival.

Oxford Police Chief Jon Tibbetts said a lot of planning went into the organization of this festival. In addition to the private security details hired by Chandler, Tibbetts’ department and Oxford County Sheriff’s Department will have details with deputies working all four days. Signs have been erected directing concertgoers to parking areas. Oxford Plains Speedway will be used for overflow parking with shuttles running to the fairgrounds, he said.

Many of the details, including bathroom facilities, were included as part of the mass-gathering permit process, he said.

If more than the 14,999 ticket holders show up, they’ll be turned away, he said. At last year’s Oxford 250 race at the speedway, 10,000 people attended over the three-day weekend. There were no problems, he said.

Tibbetts said he’s confident the town is prepared for the event.

“We’re looking forward to hopefully everything going well and everybody has fun,” he said. “The weather looks good,” which helps with security, he added.