Kempenfest has wrapped up for another year, with organizers reporting strong attendance and positive feedback despite severe weather cutting the festival short and concerns about parking fees.
Barrie Chamber of Commerce President Paul Markle said the weekend started strong before rain forced organizers to shut down much of Sunday's programming.
"It started out as a great weekend," Markle said. "Those that attended would say that it was a good event."
However, the weather ultimately took a toll. Markle noted it was the first time in his long involvement with the festival that an entire day had effectively been lost to poor conditions.
"The Sunday, obviously, we had some pretty severe weather that shut us down," he said. "It's the first time I can remember, and I've been involved for a long time, that we actually lost an entire day."
The rain also affected vendors, with many choosing not to open on Sunday to protect their merchandise. Markle estimated roughly one-third of vendors operated during the wet weather, though those who did often fared better than expected.
"The ones that did really, really well," he said. "They kind of reported having really good conversations with the customers that came in."
Listen o our full interview with Chamber of Commerce President Paul Markle on this week's What Barrie's Talking About podcast
While the weather was beyond anyone's control, parking fees became a major talking point throughout the weekend.
Markle said organizers have received significant feedback from visitors who were surprised by parking enforcement and fees in areas where many had traditionally parked for free during Kempenfest weekends.
"For 50-plus years, the parking has been free, and this year there was obviously a fee applied to that, and that was a shock to many," he said.
He expressed concern that parking costs may have reduced the amount visitors spent with local vendors and businesses.
"That's dollars that you're not going to spend at the festival and those are dollars that come back into the community," Markle said.
The city and festival organizers promoted a free shuttle service that connected parking areas at Park Place, Allandale, the waterfront and downtown. However, Markle acknowledged many longtime attendees may not have been aware of changes made to the routes.
Organizers plan to review feedback from this year's event and work with the City to explore ways to address concerns ahead of next year's festival.
Despite the criticism surrounding parking and the challenges posed by the weather, Markle said Kempenfest remains an important community event that showcases Barrie's waterfront, businesses and volunteer spirit, adding planning for next year's festival is already underway.
