A RetroFest organizer says the crowds at this year's event looked "bigger than ever."
The OLG Classic Car Cruise took place in Chatham on Friday and the Kent Historic Auto Club (KHAC) Classic Car Show was held downtown on Saturday. There was also lots of music, food, and entertainment at Tecumseh Park both days.
Historic Downtown Business Improvement Area Project Coordinator Connie Beneteau says she doesn't have all the attendance numbers in yet, but the streets and park were very full this year.
"Everything went very smoothly this year," says Beneteau. "You always have different issues every year, but this one everything was small issues and we were able to deal with it very well."
Beneteau says she was anticipating a mixed response to this year's altered route for the car cruise.
"I really expected to hear either way, one way or the other... since it was the first year we changed it that maybe there wasn't as many people out on the route watching," she says."Overall, no engines were overheated and we'll see this week what comments might come in."
Beneteau says it hasn't been decided yet whether next year's route will switch back to going over the Fifth St. Bridge.
"It could change either way. It's a discussion that the BIA, the Kent Historic Auto Club, as well as engineering and police from the municipality will have. Their plans are to change the route up every year... but nothing is set in stone," she explains.
Beneteau says she wants the event to keep getting better each year.
"I didn't do the zip line this year, because we did it two years in a row and I'm still looking for that wow factor for next year," she says.
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