Organizers of the 41st annual Old Port Festival in Portland have deemed it a success after extending the festival to three days for the first time.
The Portland Press Herald reported the festival’s attendance for Sunday alone was estimated at more than 30,000 people, according to Steve Hewins, executive director of Portland’s Downtown District. He said the figure exceeded estimates for past festivals, which were just a day in length.
This was the first year the Old Port Festival was held over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with different events being scheduled for each day.
Hewins said Friday’s festivities, which combined Portland’s monthly First Friday Artwalk with special performances from the Circus Conservatory of America, was estimated to have attracted more than 10,000 people. Hewins said he didn’t have an estimate for attendance on Saturday because people were too spread out while taking self-guided tours on Portland’s working waterfront.