Crowfest Chatham-Kent organizers guessed right when they decided to hold their third annual event earlier in the year.
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On Saturday, the last official day of summer, the temperatures reached over 30 C with sunny skies for the crowds, as they made their way through downtown Chatham.
The event kicked off last week and featured numerous crowd-themed activities, world-class buskers, a sold-out gala, costumes, contests and other entertainment.
This year, Crowfest moved to September from mid-October to help capitalize on the remaining warm days.
It was a change that paid off in a big way.
“(Friday) the streets were absolutely packed, with record numbers,” said Andrew Thiel, Crowfest co-chair.
He expects more than 40,000 people will have attended the festival “by the time we’re all said and done,” with King Street and downtown side streets closed to traffic.
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“We knew if we could get two good days, we could get (that number),” he said.
There were 15 busking acts, along with 110 vendors. Approximately 150 volunteers were also involved, with Thiel calling the community support and sponsors “absolutely amazing” in making the festival a reality.
“I thought it was a great fit for downtown,” he said. “We have RetroFest so early and we don’t do a lot during the summer, so this is nice to have something.”
The inaugural Crowfest in 2022 received provincial recognition from Festivals and Events Ontario, being selected as best new festival or event in the $100,001 to $500,000 category.
The event remains ongoing into Saturday night. For further details, including a schedule of activities, visit https://crowfestck.com/
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