Attendance at last weekend's LaSalle Strawberry Festival was far above average as the event returned after a two-year hiatus.
Organizers said 33,250 people came through the gate between June 9 and June 12, up from an average of 25,000 per year.
The large turnout did create some challenges for organizers. On Friday night, one midway ride was closed temporarily while LaSalle Police stepped in to control the crowds. On Saturday, organizers limited admission inside the park until others left.
Mayor Marc Bondy still calls it a major success.
"It was fantastic to see so many people at the Strawberry Festival this weekend," he said. "We have all been looking forward to getting back to our traditions."
Director of Culture and Recreation Patti Funaro echoed his sentiments.
"The Strawberry Festival was an extremely successful event," she added. "This was our first major event since February 2020 and the first Strawberry Festival since June 2019."
This was the second year the event was held at the Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex. Town councillors decided to move it in 2019 because of flooding in Gill Maure Park. They will review the location based on the construction schedule along LaSalle's waterfront, but the plan is to move it back in future years.
A post-event report will go to councillors soon detailing how much money the event raised. Funds offset the cost to the town for hosting the festival and support Life After Fifty. Excess funds will support future festivals.
