PORT ANGELES — The Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts was poised Monday to break attendance records, even before the final day’s numbers were totaled.
Anna Manildi, director of the four-day festival of world music, arts, crafts and more, estimated that about 16,000 people — about 1,000 more than last year — had participated in some way even before final-day totals were included.
“We have a great group of volunteers who stay here until 2 a.m. every night counting up the money and the totals,” Manildi said.
“With the way we’ve counted and our estimates, we could have 17,000, but not counting [Monday] we had about 16,000 people.”
The warm, sunny weather coaxed people out of their homes for the concerts.
Although cooler weather came on Sunday and continued on Memorial Day, the drop-off in the crowds was no more dramatic than normal, Manildi said.
“There is an ebb and flow to the festival, and on Monday it usually slows down a little more,” she said.
