Outstanding, incredible, spectacular.

These were some of the popular words used by organizers to describe Ankeny SummerFest 2011. SummerFest came to a close Sunday night, giving those behind the scenes a chance to sit back and reflect on the success of this year’s event.

“I think it went great,” said SummerFest Chairman Wade Steenhoek. “We had a very successful year on many fronts and overall, we were very happy with the outcome.”

Although it’s difficult to determine an exact number of individuals who attended SummerFest during the four days it was held, Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce President Randy Munson said he estimated close to 45,000 people turned out for the event.

The number was calculated, Munson said, using a combination of factors, including gate counts, ticket sales and estimated event attendance.

“We saw a lot more families and a lot of new faces this year,” Munson said, crediting the rise in attendance in part to the area’s increasing population.

Steenhoek said he heard a lot of positive feedback about the activities and events offered.

“People enjoyed the variety, the fact there was something for all ages,” he said. 

Some of the popular events this year, Steenhoek said, were the nightly concerts and the fireworks display on Sunday night. The parade on Saturday saw a record 188 entries, Munson added.

New events such as the Pros vs. Joes Water Fight were instant hits, Steenhoek said.

“The water fight will definitely be back,” he said. “Those who came to watch were amazed at how much fun you can have with a good, old-fashioned water fight.”

Both Munson and Steenhoek said the success of Ankeny SummerFest 2011 would have been possible without the numerous volunteers and local civic organizations working together to plan and put on the event.

“You just can’t get that anywhere,” Munson said. “It takes a lot of people to make it happen, and we’re very blessed to have that support.”