Slide show: July 4 Splash goes smoothly for Kent, but attendance down

Despite a considerable drop in turnout from years past, Kent officials are calling Saturday’s Fourth of July Splash at Lake Meridian Park a good time and the “smoothest-running” holiday weekend in years.

“It was a good group of people out at the lake,” said Kent Cultural Programs Coordinator and event director Mark Hendrickson.

An estimated 10,000 people turned out for the festivities, down from 18,000 to 20,000 in prior years, according to Hendrickson, who attributed the drop in turnout to both the heat and the event taking place on the middle day of a three-day weekend, which could have led to people being out of town.

“We think a lot of it had to do with where the Fourth of July fell,” he said.

Hendrickson said he did not think the lack of a symphony, which was cut this year for budget reasons, affected the turnout and said the bands that played during the day were well-received.

Hendrickson also said the pie and watermelon-eating contests continue to grow, something that is an “unexpected surprise” to organizers.

“It’s becoming an anchor of the event,” he said, adding that this year, more than 30 competitors battled in nine different eating contests.

“You see the same smile on a 9-year-old as you do on a 45-year-old dad,” Hendrickson said.

There was also praise for this year’s fireworks display.

“The fireworks show was probably the best one we’ve ever had,” he said. “It was a really impressive one.”

Hendrickson said as of Monday there had not yet been a full meeting on the event, but said there were no major incidents and everything ran fairly easily, from the events to transportation issues.

“It was probably one of the smoothest-running ones we’ve ever had,” he said.

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