2011 Sunset Festival Sees a Profit

The Summer Sunset Festival report a profit from the Labor Day weekend festivities even despite dealing with one rainy afternoon.

"Our revenues-over-expenses are up by $40,942," said Ray Bogdanowski, co-chairman of the Sunset Festival Committee. "We still need to deduct overtime pay for public works employees and police officers."

Bogdanowski said the Sunset Park lightning detector siren sounded at 1 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, and rides needed to be shut down for about an hour each time. And while the lightning passed, the threat of storms and rain kept some people away for the rest of the day, Bogdanowski said.

However, the sunny skies and comfortable temperatures that arrived the following day drew more people than expected. In all, an estimated 20,000 people attended the three-day festival. Carnival ticket sales alone totalled $140,000, Bogdanowski said. 

Bogdanowski's co-chair on the committee, Trudy Wakeman, said Sunday's attendance helped the 11th annual festival recoup numbers lost because of Saturday evening's rain.

"The numbers definitely were up on Sunday," Wakeman said.

And a devoted crowd turned out for the entertainment Saturday night, Wakeman said.

"Saturday evening was tough because we couldn't predict the weather," Wakeman said. "But it was helpful that we had a really good band with a following that played Saturday night."

The live musical entertainment Saturday evening started with .

Saturday morning's excessive heat and humidity didn't deter moms, dads, kids and other residents from

Residents flocked to the mile-long course along Miller Road and cheered the local youth groups, drum corps, Melon Propellin' catapults and local businesses that participated in the parade.