River days went ‘smooth,’ though attendance seemed down

Published 12:19 pm Thursday, August 1, 2013

City officials said this year’s River Days celebration went smoothly, despite hearing from “more than a few people” that the festival seemed quieter than previous years.

Renton Community Relations and Events Coordinator Sonja Mejlaender estimated that 25,000 to 30,000 people attended the festival over the three days, but said it was impossible to get an exact number due to the non-gated, multi-access nature of the event.

However, during the festival several vendors remarked that numbers seemed to be down from prior events.

Mejlaender said she too had heard from people that things seemed less busy than in the past, but said it is hard to tell because of the spread out nature of the days.

People may be at the car show or circus at the Cedar River Park, for example, and therefore it may look like there are fewer at Liberty, the main site, she said.

But Mejlaender also said the weekend’s blazing sunshine and heat could have played in to the numbers. Mejlaender said the heat Friday afternoon was certainly a factor and said the mornings and Sunday, which were cooler, seemed to be better attended.

“It just ebbs and flows,” she said.

Mejlaender also said the last-minute change of the annual shuttle from the stadium lot, which is being re-surfaced, to the Senior Activity Center seemed to work out well.

But Mejlaender said the city wants to hear from festival-goers and has posted a survey to the rentonriverdays.org. Attendees are asked to weigh in on this year’s event to help the city plan for next year.

“We learn every year,” she said. “We try to improve every year.”

Mejlaender also thanked the volunteers, civic organizations and vendors who worked to make this year’s event fun.

Now, with the park quiet and the tents and stage removed, members of the city’s team are taking a short break and will get started right away on next year’s event, which is already scheduled: July 25-27, 2014.