The Town of LaSalle is celebrating the successful turnout for this year's LaSalle Strawberry Festival, with almost 32,000 visitors.
The four-day event was from June 8 to June 11.
Attendance was 35 per cent higher than in 2019, the last event before the pandemic.
However, the record remains unbroken. Attendance last year was 33,250. The 2022 event was the first festival since the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
More than 150 volunteers helped clean strawberries ahead of the festival at the Event Centre on Front Road. Visitors indulged in 6,160 servings of strawberries and ice cream, just one of the event's major draws each year.
"This event would not be successful without the help of every department in the Town and support from employees at every level," said Director of Culture and Recreation Patti Funaro.
How much the event raised is still being calculated, but town councillors will get a report in the coming weeks. Revenue from the LaSalle Strawberry Festival helps offset the cost of hosting it, and any money left over will support future festivals.
This year's event was the third at the Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex. It'll be the location of next year's event. After that, construction at the waterfront will determine where it will be held.